


A Faded Memory

by Devlyne



Series: Overland and Underground [1]
Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/M, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-04-30 23:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 39,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5184134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devlyne/pseuds/Devlyne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After her visit to the Labyrinth, Sarah grew up as all children eventually do. On the eve of a life changing decision, Jareth decides it's time to visit Sarah again. Life does not always turn out the way we imagine it will.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dreams Die Hard

**Author's Note:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/8/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney.
> 
> A/N: Revision #2: If you have the original version of this chapter, it's now different. I've fleshed and added. Prologue finally complete to my satisfaction. 9/8/2015. - Crossposted to Ao3 on 11/10.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/15/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney.
> 
> A/N: Revision Completed 9/15/2015. Cross-posted to Ao3 11/10/2015

  


* * *

**Chapter 1: Dreams Die Hard**

* * *

  


Dreams of childhood fade and we often wonder if they were only mere fancies of our imaginations. It is how every adult has found it and so how Sarah found it. She often sat alone in her apartment considering this. It was a beautiful apartment decorated in the most modern decor that she could afford. The well placed paintings, tables and chairs were all part of who Sarah was now. This was not who she'd meant to be, of course. Does anyone ever become who they mean to be as a child? All her little curios and past mementos were put away, much like her childhood hopes and dreams. Well, almost all. There was one room in the apartment which was her special place. She hadn't been able to afford storage for all her treasures when she'd moved out last year. And Carin had made it quite clear that Sarah might return at a later time to find her things gone if she left them.

Instead of burying her treasures away, Sarah had used them to decorate the room. The name had an ominous ring to it even to her; "The Room". It sounded like the plot to a fairy tale with an evil king torturing a hapless hero. As soon as the thought had crossed Sarah's mind, she felt the laughter bubble up. Laughter didn't come easy these days, but nothing came easy any more. The Room was a plain room made prettier by the fact that its windows caught the rising sun. She'd edged the windows with a filmy material that allowed the light in while obscuring the view. Afterward, the decorating had begun and the room now looked more like a nursery than a spare bedroom. There were shelves lining two of the walls with books and knickknacks of every nature. All Sarah's old stuffed animals and toys had found a home on the bed or on the shelves among the knickknacks. Now the only remaining decoration was a child to enjoy the comforts of the room as Sarah once had.

Sometimes Sarah would come with a book and lay there reading in a dancing pool of sunlight. An old lamp with hanging shards of crystal that sat on a table near the window would catch the sun and send rainbows dancing across the room. She'd sit and watch it for hours until the rainbows finally faded. It always left her heart light and easy with the beauty of it. Sarah always struggled with the part of her wanted to get up to dance with the rainbows and twirl about. She had danced once or twice at first. Now, she was happy to sit there smiling at it all and remembering. There were times she would come in here just to lie on the rug and stroke the soft material for hours on end. That was a time when she could drift away in to her thoughts and dreams without being interrupted.

Those were the good moments; there were always going to be good moments. She thrived on those few moments of uninterrupted peace and quiet. Of course, there were also bad moments and they were almost as many as the good moments. Sarah found herself in the same routine of rising, going to work, going out with friends and coming home. But what was it she came home to? Right now it was an empty apartment with empty hallways. She'd almost considered getting a cat or another animal to keep her company but in the end had decided not to. The thought of an animal demanding food and shedding all over her house set her teeth on edge. Oh, she'd learned all about that perfectionist sort of cleanliness from Carin. That had been a lesson somewhat worth unlearning. The moment Sarah had freedom to toss her clothes and things any which way, she'd done so.

That freedom had faded quickly and a fastidious need to keep everything in order had returned. Gone were the days of piles of clothes on the floor and the dishes in her kitchen sink. There would be whole days spent cleaning the apartment from top to bottom. The windows opened to allow fresh air and sunlight in. Fresh air? Not really, it was a city and there was little fresh air to be had. There were gaseous fumes and odd putrid odors that permeated the air when it was hot. Day or night, she could hear cars passed while honking their horns or speeding to their destination. Sarah could pretend it was the fresh air of the country at least. She remembered what that had smelled like. It had smelled sweet, full of the scent of flowers with the warmth of the sun on her back and face as she looked up at the sky. Her green-grey eyes closed a moment as she treasured that remembered sensation.

Those memories designed to lift Sarah's spirits only seemed to lower her deeper in to the darkness. She looked about the apartment wanting something more. There was no perfect life to be had. Why then did hers seem so much less than perfect? There were times when she'd stood before the oil paintings at the museum and tried to compare her life to one. All those dark, drab little colors swirled together to create a complete picture. That felt like a very accurate description of the life she lived in the city. And then Sarah would see a brighter painting and couldn't help but walk away with that light feeling returning to her heart.

A familiar face flashed through the mirror before her and that put a slow smile on her lips. "Alright, alright, he is handsome and he is waiting . . . I'm going already ..." He was Christopher Damien, a local up and coming lawyer. He had the good looks and talent that most women were looking for and few could find. Once, when they'd first met, Sarah had almost believed he'd had the dreamer in him too. It was something she could see in his eyes at times. Something in the way he smiled and would gaze at her. It was not love at first sight. Sarah had stopped believing in that a long time ago, but there was the tiniest spark between them. Maybe not love at first sight, but Sarah thought it was love nonetheless. And if her friends happened to think he might propose soon then who could blame her for sharing that hope.

Another face replaced Sarah's reflection in the mirror before vanishing. She hadn't quite caught a glimpse of it and thought perhaps it was memories of Chris once more. His lips against hers were soft and sweet. His strong hand holding hers and letting their fingers entwined. Dreamy almost star-crossed looks drifted over her as she let her chin come to rest on one hand a moment and indulged in the memories. Maybe it would be tonight? He had said there was something special he wanted to talk about tonight. Could this be it? That smile returned as bright as ever, but there were cold fingers of dread creeping up her spine. The world felt very wrong and tilted on its axis for a moment before Sarah shook the cold away. There it was again, that shade of a face in the mirror before her.

_Turn back, Sarah, turn back before it's too late._

Oh! Clenched fists pressed to her eyes as Sarah tried to drive away the scene emerging in her head. She'd spent so long trying to forget that dream but it always returned when her guard was down. The left-hand drawer of her dresser opened so she could dig out the orange pill bottle hidden there. One small white pill drawn out and a quick dry swallow disposed of it before the doorbell rang twice. That should be Chris. Sarah headed for the door already forgetting about the bottle on her dresser. She didn't see as it tipped over spilling its contents here and there. Nor did Sarah see that face return in her mirror to gaze sadly at the pills scattered over her dresser.

Her smile was already in place as she pulled the door open for Chris and stood back so he could admire her. "Sorry I'm late, Sar- Anyone ever told you you're beautiful?" The tall, young man stood there smiling and looking her over before offering his arm. Sarah could hardly help the blush that rose to her cheeks. She pulled her jacket on without waiting for his help and took the offered arm. If she hesitated a moment to listen for the faint click of her door lock, Chris didn't comment on it. It was just another one of Sarah's quirks and that was part of what he liked about her, wasn't it?

"So, where are we going tonight?" Their voices trailed off down the hallway as they headed for the elevator. The lanky blond figure didn't need to hear the rest of what was said. His fingertips moved over the edge of the dresser while blue eyes took in the pills spread there. How far his Sarah had fallen; he would have to do something about that. But what? A slow smile widened the man's lips as the wheels in his head slowly began to turn; yes, what indeed?


	2. The Dreams of Others

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/15/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: Revision Completed 9/15/2015. Cross-posted to Ao3 11/10/2015.

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Dreams of Others**

* * *

  
It was after two when Sarah returned to her apartment for the evening. There was nothing but an empty apartment waiting for her above. Sarah stood gazing up at the building long after the cab had driven away. There was a shift of Sarah's head so that her eyes could gaze down the darkened sidewalk to her left. Somewhere, beyond her vision, the walkway ended. It would be easy to just run away right now. The path to her left laid out before her in a way that was inviting. The darkness seemed to be begging Sarah to escape within it and just disappear. She could see herself doing exactly that. Her purse flung away as she escaped in the darkness and left all identity behind. The idea felt so much easier than facing what had happened earlier in the evening.

Instead, Sarah's footsteps echoed up the stairwell as she began the climb to her apartment on the twelfth floor. The elevator was taking far too long and the walk would give her time to clear her mind. She needed more time to rationalize what had happened. Had that been his big surprise? It had been a marriage proposal but not one much better than Jane Eyre had received from St John Rivers. Christopher was leaving New York to take a job in Washington D.C and he wanted her to join him. He accepted an invitation to join a law firm as a junior member which came with all sorts of great benefits. Sarah had asked him what opportunities he thought they might find for her in Washington. She had been both excited and curious about what might lay before her. The idea that newness and change might be coming to her life was thrilling. That was where it had all fallen apart.

Christopher had boasted that there would be no need for his wife to work while he was making so much money. Sarah could stay at home and keep house or whatever pursuits she might enjoy. After all, they would be having children together and their children would need a mother at home. The thought of being a kept woman made Sarah's stomach turn. No doubt there were women who would look forward to that lifestyle, but Sarah was not one of them. She needed an occupation and creativity to stimulate her mind. Children would be nice but did she have to give up her dreams just yet? Her foot caught and she stumbled sliding down half a flight of steps before catching herself.

"Oh, damn. . ."

Sarah turned herself to sit down on the step for a moment and rub at her left thigh. The fall had left a numbing pain and she would most likely bruise later. For a moment, as she'd been falling, Sarah thought she'd seen a figure standing above her on the landing. There was no one there and no one had come down to help her up. Her head turned enough to give a better view of the empty landing. The light in the stairwell was dim and except for the echo of her breathing, the stairwell was quiet. There were no footsteps echoing down to where she sat and Sarah chuckled at her own foolishness. One hand gripped the rail and she pulled herself to her feet and stood there a moment. It was a wish that someone had been there to catch her as she fell. Did she miss Chris that much already? Her cheeks flushed at that thought. What if she hadn't been hoping for Chris?

_It's all in your head, Sarah. Jareth and the goblins, every bit of it. You just made it up, and got too into the stories. Ludo and Sir Didymus, they're all just part of your overactive imagination, aren't they, Sarah? Sarah, are you listening to me? Don't you see, Sarah, it's for your own good. You're living too much in these dreams, just let them go._

A familiar voice echoed through Sarah's thoughts; Dr. Thomas. Hadn't he told her that over and over again? Dr Thomas had taken every opportunity to remind Sarah that what she had seen that night was a dream. There were dreams that were so vivid they felt real and people immersed themselves in them. There was no Goblin King. She'd fallen asleep on her bed angry with her stepmother and father and dreamed the whole thing. Toby had been safe at home and the Labyrinth was just a story in a book. It had taken years but Sarah convinced herself that the doctor was right and had agreed to medication. For the last two years, she had spent every day downing those little white pills twice a day. No more hallucinations. She didn't hear Jareth's voice in her head. She didn't see Jareth in her dreams. And her imaginary friends didn't come out of the mirror to visit her anymore.

Sarah had managed to go to college and complete a degree. She had managed to find a decent paying job in the city working as a docent for the museum. She was well on her way to becoming the director for the children's day camp programs after just a few more years. Chris had come in to her life and other than The Room; her life had fallen in to place. Well, almost. It was just so boring and stagnant. There were days Sarah found it hard to get out of bed to face the world. The doctor had said that might be a side effect of the medication; just ignore it, let it go away.

A sigh escaped Sarah's lips; her purse had come undone and now its articles lay on steps at various heights. There was the tube of lipstick she'd found in just the right shade at Macy's. A tissue or two had come loose from the packet and lay on the next few steps above her and then her compact. Sarah's head canted as she gazed up at her compact sitting on the edge of the steps open. The mirror tilted at just the right angle so that Sarah was staring at herself in it; that was odd. It had landed in just such a way to give herself that perfect view of her own pale face.

Over and over, Sarah ran the scene through her mind. She had stumbled on a step and her purse had gone flying as she'd tried to grip the railing. The shoes had been too slick or her heel had caught and Sarah had gone sliding down the steps. That was all. It was not impossible that the compact had flown from her purse to the landing. Nor was it impossible that the compact's latch had broken and it had flown open. So why didn't she believe that? The idea that someone had positioned her compact in just that particular way now began to take root in her mind. Had she remembered to take her pills? The brief mental image of putting a small white pill between her lips was there and then gone. Yes, she had taken her pills. So why was she so frightened?

"Oh, come on Sarah, no one just laid your compact on the landing and ran away. You'd have heard them running up the steps or the door banging as they went out."

It was a foolish thought to have and Sarah berated herself for it. She snatched the compact up and stuffed it into her purse before starting up the stairs to finish her climb. Why was she acting like such a foolish child? She'd tripped and fallen. That was it. No one had been chasing her and there was no one stalking her in the stairwell. At least the hallways in the building were better lit than the stairwell had been. There were no shadows or monsters hiding here.

Down at the far end of the hallway, two of Sarah's neighbors stood talking over something. Neither neighbor glanced up at her as she dug the keys out and fidgeted to unlock the door. Her hands had begun shaking while in the stairwell. At last, the key slid in to place and the deadbolt gave a begrudging click which echoed through the hallway. Heedless, Sarah pushed in and closed the door a bit harder than she'd meant to, sliding the chain in place.

The light on her answering machine was flashing an ugly red. Chris had most likely called to continue their argument. Oh, right, he wanted to move to D.C. That was the part of the evening that had deteriorated. Her thoughts had now resumed their course from before the fall. They had fought about him moving to D.C. It was good money for Chris, yes, but what about what he had built here? If it didn't work out in a month or two, what would he do then? Then there was the issue of Sarah leaving her job to move with him and Chris expecting her to be a housewife.

The discussion had turned in to an argument and they'd had to leave the restaurant early. He had followed her out to the parking lot to continue the argument while Sarah waited for her cab. She'd asked the hostess to call one but cabs were never on time and for fifteen minutes they had stood arguing. He wanted her to just say yes and throw caution to the wind. Sarah didn't want to throw caution to the wind. It was a blow to realize that the warm, happy feelings of earlier were gone. Not that being a housewife and mother was bad but did he not understand that she had her own dreams?

It was anger speaking. Sarah recognized that she was angry with him for trying to force the decision on her. After she'd had a bit of sleep and thought through everything, it would look different. In the morning, she would call him and say that she was sorry they'd fought. The rewind button hit on the machine so that the message would play while she slipped out of her heels. Chris' voice echoed through the apartment as he asked her to just give him a call back and to please think it over. He sounded so heartbroken but Sarah found that she felt nothing.

"Sarah, it's Chris. I am sorry I yelled at you. It's a big decision, I know, but please at least think it over. If your answer is yes, just give me a call. If not, well, as hard as it is for me to say...I don't think we should see each other anymore. I plan on being in D.C. in two weeks so there's no point in dragging this out if the answer is no."

The feet of Sarah's vanity chair dragged across the carpet as she drew it in to place. The call sounded so much like an ultimatum that all thought of calling and apologizing left her mind. With a heavy sigh, she found her comb and began to untangle pins from her long hair, brushing it out. She hadn't changed much over the years from teenager to adult. She'd always been pretty, awkward, but pretty just the same. There was that sharpness that most adults seem to get when they were somewhat pudgy teens. Not being able to be outdoors as much had made Sarah's skin fair and that had darkened the color of her hair. There was a ripple across the surface of the mirror before her and Sarah's heart stilled. No, the ripple was not her imagination for once. Her tears caught on her lashes before sliding down her cheeks.

If she felt nothing about Chris' demands, why were there tears? What was the crushing pain that Sarah felt settle over her heart and chest? She could not explain it to herself for a moment. He had made his demands and she had only to consider what she might be losing or gaining in agreeing with him. If the price was too high to pay, then there was no point in paying it. Loss; Sarah felt loss and it was an unsettling feeling because it meant that she had made her choice. Chris would be going to D.C. alone.

One hand lifted to brush those tears away and Sarah found herself staring into the depths of the mirror. Once she'd believed that there was another world beyond the mirror much like Alice and her looking glass. Now the mirror only reflected the contents of her bedroom. Sarah's eyes closed and her reflection turned inward for a moment.


	3. A Shattered Mirror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/16/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney.
> 
> A/N: Revision Completed 9/16/2015. Chapter 4 was completed before Chapter 3. I've since made necessary revisions to Chapter 4 to fix continuity errors. If you spot one I missed, please feel free to politely PM me. Cross-posted to A03 11/10/2015.

  


* * *

**Chapter 3: A Shattered Mirror**

* * *

  
Sarah felt as though she had been sitting there for hours when her eyes opened once more. Everything that had happened so far tonight felt unreal. One moment, she had been happy with Chris and looking forward to what might have been an engagement. Now she felt as though her foolish pride had gotten in the way and shattered that perfect illusion. Why hadn't she said yes instead of insinuating that the answer was no?

It wasn't what she'd wanted. She didn't want to be a housewife. Sarah's hands clasped before her and she turned her gaze to that world hidden deep within the mirror. She hardly noticed the light in the window which brightened the room and then faded away. It was more than likely just a car passing by on the street below; that happened a lot at night. She did not notice the wind brushing the curtains back from her window sill. A window which should not have been open but in her introspection, Sarah had not realized it.

"What does matter, Sarah?"

Fear gripped her and a cold chill worked its way up her spine at the sound of a voice echoing through her bedroom. Sarah's eyes searched the darkness to find whomever had spoken buried in the shadows. There was no one standing there as there had been no one in the stairwell earlier. The voice echoed out its words in her mind and Sarah strained to hear it over her own soft breaths and pounding heart. The voice was so familiar and so foreign; it was her own voice.

How much changed the sound of her voice was, burdened by sorrow and doubt. Her eyes lifted to the mirror and Sarah gazed deep within it though this time it was her own soul she was looking for. There was no reason to carry so much sorrow. Yes, Chris had decided that if she would not join him that he would leave her. This was an inevitable consequence of the decision that Sarah had made. Chris had a career that was upward rising and he would have to follow it.

In silence, Sarah wished Chris good luck at chasing and winning his dreams. There was no doubt in her mind that some distant time down the road she would hear his name on the news. He would be known for winning an important case and Sarah would mentally congratulate him. It was his happiness which mattered most to her and Sarah had her own happiness to consider as well. She would not be happy as a housewife and he would not be happy with an unhappy wife.

"Oh, enough already."

Sarah pushed off of the small vanity chair and snatched her book from the bedside table. If she were going to dwell on this the entire night, at least The Room would offer her comfort. The Room was awash in the pale moonlight which gave the books and toys an eerie glow. A flick of the light switch changed that and Sarah settled herself on the plush rug near the window. The hard cover book rested on the floor before her so that she could scan the pages. One chapter went by and then two while Sarah's mind tried to forget the earlier upset.

There were stories to read and characters to wonder at and involve herself with. Within the world of the book, there was no time for Chris and his disappointment. At last though, a glance at the clock telling her it had been two hours, Sarah marked her place and stood to stretch. There was work tomorrow and that would help keep her mind off of what had happened. Perhaps a new perspective and time to think would change her mind on the situation. She doubted it but there was always a possibility.

Only a dull light penetrated the gloom of her room as Sarah entered to look for her pills. They should have been on the dresser where she'd left them earlier in the evening. Her small hand closed on air and air alone. Had they gotten knocked over when she was rushing out the door? She flipped the light switch and illuminated the room. It wasn't the same, the light of a light bulb verses the light of the sun or the moon. Lamplight was a dull companion to the brilliant sun. Turning back to her dressing table, Sarah began to search for the pill bottle she'd laid there. It wasn't there.

Sarah slid down on to the vanity chair and stared in to the mirror. Where had she laid that bottle down? In the bathroom? Had she even gone in to the bathroom before leaving? The bathroom light came on beneath her touch and a row of vanity lights flooded the room with dull color. No pill bottle here either; not on the counter near the sink or on the back of the toilet. That doubt returned that she'd ever entered the bathroom at all.

There hadn't been any time to step in to the bathroom, had there? No, Sarah recalled grabbing her purse and jacket; the bottle left on the nearby dresser. Again she wondered if it had gotten knocked down and rolled behind the dresser. No, the pills would be all over the place if she'd not remembered to put the cap on. Oh, damn. Sarah considered putting the search off until morning. Tomorrow, after she'd slept, her memory would be clearer.

Of course there was always the possibility that she might forget and oversleep. What then? Would the pills then stay forgotten until later in the evening? Sarah gripped the edge of the dresser and gave a tug. Her feet dug in to the carpet as she shifted the heavy furniture aside. Nothing. There was no pill bottle nor any sign of it. She crouched and put her cheek to the carpet to see beneath the dresser. No, still nothing. The bottle was not where it should be. It should be right here. That edge of panic rising in the back of her mind; had someone broken in and moved her pills? Ludicrous. Who would do that?

"Oh, damn. Where are they? Think, Sarah, think."

Moments passed as Sarah sat on the floor with her head in her hands staring down at the carpet beneath her. The pills were not on the dress or vanity, not on the floor and not under the dresser. She had not gone in to the bathroom or laid them in the front room. It didn't make sense; they should be there. At last, pulling herself to her feet, she tugged open the vanity drawer and peered down in to its depths. There, nestled in the organizer tray, was the bottle of pills laying in its place.

She could see the white pills through the transparent orange container. Her pills were there, exactly where they should have been if Sarah thought she'd put them away. It had just been a mistake. She must have put them away out of instinct and a need for order. There had been no point to all the paranoid panic which had consumed the last half hour. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and she slid in to the vanity chair, hands resting on her knees and gripping them. Why had the thought of not having the pills bothered her so much?

The answer was far simpler than Sarah liked. She had to take the pills so that she could prove that she didn't need the pills. If she didn't take her pills, she couldn't be normal. Isn't that what Sarah wanted? There was a disjointed feeling at the thought that Sarah and the person who took the pills were separate. They couldn't be. Sarah was Sarah whether she took her medication or not. What did it matter if Sarah thought her reflection was gazing back with accusing eyes?

Life wasn't monotonous. Hadn't she just spent the last day and a half thinking that it was? The museum was a wonderful place to work and make friends. It wasn't acting but that had been a childhood dream. This was better, wasn't it? Sarah was good at her job which was all that counted in the end, right? That seed of doubt began to creep its way further in to her head.

Most of Sarah's childhood friends had moved on from the town they'd grown up in. One by one she had watched them leave, or had come back from college to find them moved on. She hadn't had many friends to begin with as it was generally believed that Sarah was crazy. That had been the rumor in high school, at least. The friends from Underground had faded away when Sarah had stopped believing in them. That was what happened to imaginary friends when their children grew up. Sir Didymus, Ludo and Hoggle had outlived their usefulness to her.

They had outlived their usefulness. It was a horrible way to look at the situation. Sarah's chest ached as she felt that pain bubble up inside and clench at her heart. She could hear their voices, faint and weary, screaming out that she had murdered them all. They were dead and gone because Sarah had stopped believing in them; hadn't she promised not to?

A soft chuckle echoed through the bedroom and chill fingers worked their way up her spine. Sarah's eyes roamed the mirror looking for the source of the sound but there was no one in the room behind her. The sound coming again though this time it was closer to her and nearer to the door. It was her chuckle; she was chuckling. Her lips twisted in to an ugly smile. Those friends had not been real. They could not be injured by her lack of belief in them; they were not real. When they were gone, they were gone; they didn't feel.

Again a shimmer turned Sarah's attention to the mirror and she found herself staring in to its depths. The other Sarah stared back at her from the shiny surface with a wry smile upon her lips. One at a time the pills slid between Sarah's lips and each swallowed in its turn until fifteen or twenty were gone. The moment was surreal; she did not feel herself moving and the medication left no bitter after taste.

_It's a dream. Just a dream; when I wake up, all will be well._

Over and over Sarah's mind whispered to itself that this was just a hallucination. This was why she needed to take her pills and keep to her schedule. Without her medication, she fancied that the mirror was giving off light that did not come from the room. No, the mirror was the source of the illumination rather than the reflection of it. Beneath the surface of the glass there were ripples that her fingertips tried to catch but could not. The light began to fade until the room a dull reflection of its former self.

_I must be waking up. The dream is ending._

That little voice inside Sarah's head which kept her on schedule decided to speak up at that moment. The dishes needed washing. She should make her bed before going to work. A chill crept up her spine as she searched the mirror for that light; why was the room so full of shadows? They crept closer and closer still to where she perched on the vanity chair. The dream came to an abrupt end when a soft male voice murmured beside her ear.

"Sarah, what have you done?"


	4. Her Waking Moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/16/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: Posted out of order; I don't have the half-edited copy of Chapter 3 available to me, so I went ahead and edited Chapter 4. The other should be up tonight. Cross-posted to Ao3 11/10/2015

  


* * *

**Chapter 4: Her Waking Moment**

* * *

  
There was sunlight streaming through Sarah's window. It penetrated the dark curtains over the panes of glass and worked its way across the bed to her annoyance. On the street below, cars rushed up and down honking at each other and screeching to a halt to avoid wrecking. Someone had missed the light as it turned red and another was weaving in and out of traffic without a thought. The people in those cars forgot that there was more to the world because they were so wrapped up in themselves. It was unfortunate that it was the way the world worked. People were too involved in their own lives to notice what was going on with one another.

Sarah was sitting up in bed with the pillows propping her against the headboard. It gave her the perfect view to be able to stare in to the vanity mirror. This was the first morning in her entire year with the museum that she'd had to call in sick at all. It had surprised her boss almost as much as it surprised Sarah. She had woken with a splitting headache which had decided to center itself behind her left eye and throb. Every time she tried to gather her thoughts the ache would grow worse causing them to shatter and fly apart.

If that had not been a plight, then finding herself unable to rise from bed had most definitely been. The world had begun to wobble and spin about Sarah the moment she'd managed to get her feet beneath her. So, instead, she had chosen to lay here and listen to the answering machine in the hall pick up the incoming calls. Each beep and click of the machine caused that throb in her head to pulse more but she was too tired to get up and silence it.

The first call answered had been from her stepmother, Carin, to see how she was doing. Her parents wanted to know if she was coming home for her birthday in a few weeks as she'd promised them back in May. Home; that word left a bitter, sour taste in Sarah's mouth. Even after a year away, she could not bring herself to consider that house home.

So that left her with the question of where home was exactly; here? The apartment had never felt like home and Sarah had spent too many lonely hours to call it such. There was no home with her father and stepmother anymore; that home had lost with her childhood. Home was not a place at the moment. It was a feeling that was, for the moment, insubstantial to Sarah. At times, she thought she had almost gotten home but then the feeling would fade.

There was something missing within Sarah which needed fulfilling before she could find home. She had the distinct feeling that she had many years left of looking for it, whatever it was. She had never felt quite comfortable after her parent's divorce. And while Carin had never tried to push her aside, Sarah still felt that she had. It wasn't until Sarah had met Chris that she felt as though she belonged again. Chris had tried so hard to make her feel at home; he had made her feel loved and wanted in a way that was almost forgotten. That feeling was gone; Chris was gone.

A soft sigh escaped Sarah's lips and she brushed dark hair back from her face so that it didn't obscure her view. The room looked the same as it had last night when she'd come home from her date with Chris. Her clothing from that date hung over the vanity chair or folded into a neat little pile atop it. The faintest shimmer of light flickered across the mirror and Sarah fell in to a daydream.

It was an odd daydream because it seemed so real. She saw herself sitting on that vanity chair taking the small white pills one by one. The pills had dissolved in to her system and whatever pain Sarah thought she'd felt had begun to numb. Her body had relaxed and muscles had lost their tension until arms and legs felt like jelly. It was both a peaceful and frightening feeling as her mind let the darkness close about its edges. Sarah longed to surrender herself to that peaceful feeling but something held her back.

Her eyes closed a moment as the daydream faded and the room grew silent. The sounds of cars and the city from outside had faded to a dull echo. She did not hear the footfalls of the upstairs neighbor or the murmur of voices from the apartment next door. There was stillness and silence in the room about her. Bits and pieces of the night before swam through Sarah's thoughts including the hazy echo of a plea.

_Sarah, what have you done?_

Jareth's voice. Jareth; a name Sarah had not used in many years now. The Goblin King, who ruled the Labyrinth, stole children and offered fantasies made real. He had seemed so dashing and handsome though Sarah had not wanted to admit it at the time. No, Jareth was the villain in the story where Sarah was the hero. Villains were arrogant and ugly, not handsome or attractive. Their misdeeds fought and conquered but they were never forgiven for their transgressions. It was such a pity that Sarah could not see beyond that blind black and white view of the world at the time.

She had been so young at the time and Jareth had already been a man. At least, Sarah assumed he had been a man. It was so hard to tell with the changeling king what age he was. The man had been everything Sarah had been longing for at the time; a prince, a villain and a slave to her desires. She knew now that she had tossed his affection for her back at him. How would she have felt in that position?

"Oh, Sarah, what are you saying? He's not real. . ."

Dr. Thomas had said that to her so many times that Sarah had almost convinced herself he was right. And but for that lingering doubt at the edge of her mind, she would have pushed the thought away now. It was a gnawing suspicion that she was somehow wrong. The memory of his blue eyes and sharp features was as real as any photograph hung on the walls of her apartment. No, not a memory, but a dream and she had almost forgotten that dream but it came rushing back now.

The dream was so vivid that Sarah thought it might have been a memory. It had begun shortly after the imaginary adventure and had not stopped for years. They had been standing at the entrance to the Labyrinth together gazing at the maze and the hill it stood upon. In the distance, his castle rose towering over the valley below and Sarah thought she saw movement in it. Her eyes had lifted to find Jareth gazing down at her with an odd look in his eyes; he had not expected her to be there.

Jareth's lips were moving and she stood on tiptoe to capture each world from them. The wind was rushing past Sarah's ears and she could not make out what he was saying though she strained to. And then his eyes had turned from her to sweep back across the Labyrinth as a hand lifted to point toward the castle. For months the dream had gone on and not once had Sarah been able to understand what it was he had been trying to tell her. There was always the memory of other words to take their place.

_Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave._

It was hard to image that the villain of Sarah's dreams had given her the greatest of adventures. Jareth had spun everything that she desired in to a single night and Sarah had spurned him for it. How many mysterious places had she seen during those thirteen hours? There had been adventure, danger and companions to help her through it all. Now, as she looked back over that remembered fantasy, Sarah could see the truth of it. He had catered to her every whim; there had been no promise made that Jareth had not delivered.

_I've brought you a gift. It's a crystal, nothing more, but if you turn it this way, and look into it, it'll show you your dreams._

And in the end, just as he'd promised, he had let her go. There was disappointment in Jareth's eyes as she had watched him fade away. That look had haunted her for a long time afterward though Sarah had been too young to understand why. He had let her go and she had done nothing to repay the debt she owed him. Sarah wondered who the villain had actually been, Jareth or herself.

_I have been generous until now, but I can be cruel._

Oh, yes, Jareth had been cruel. He had plotted, tricked and double crossed until his world ended but there had been no regret. Sarah had taken all that he had offered her until Jareth had nothing more to give; nothing more to offer. When he had asked for one small favor in return, one small boon, Sarah had denied him even that. No wonder there had been disappointment in his eyes while the world had fallen down around him. She felt the weight of his disappointment now.

It was easy to fall back and say that Jareth had been cruel. That was the part she had asked him to play and he'd played it so well. Sarah had never doubted that any evil or darkness in the Labyrinth had been his. For months after she'd returned home every creak or shadow had been Jareth's fault. What of her faults then? What damage had that little adventure cost the creatures of the Labyrinth? Jareth was still King and their defiance must still have punishment. How long after the adventure had her friends stopped appearing in the mirror?

Her eyes flickered to the mirror to gaze deep within it once more. It seemed so long ago now, but she wondered where the time had gone. Sarah had forgotten about that other life. She had long since buried deep thoughts of the Labyrinth. Dr. Thomas had made certain of that and anything else discounted as dreams. At least, Sarah thought they had been dreams but there was always that lingering doubt nagging at her.

"What kind of thought is that, Sarah? It was a dream."

It was easy to chide herself at the notion. She had had so much practice at berating herself for having those sorts of flights of fancy. Dr. Thomas had called it dis-associative behavior to intermix her dreams with reality. No, they were dreams and it was okay to dream but not to forget what was real. Sarah had been babysitting Toby that night and this was all a story she'd made up to pass the time.

The image hovered at the edge of her mirror of a tall, fair man with blond hair tumbling about his shoulders. There was sunlight cascading in behind him and Sarah almost thought it made him glow in the dim of the room. An odd little grin twisted the man's lips as piercing blue eyes stared down in to hers; the gleam in them devilish. He would get what he wanted no matter the cost; his look told her so.

The carriage of his shoulders said that the man was powerful and his wrath great. Yet, the softness in those eyes said that at a word he would give it all up for the woman before him; just say she was his. That was something she had not been able to do last time for him; she had not given herself. She had been too young to understand. He moved and Sarah felt his weight depress the edge of her mattress as slender fingers stretched out to her.

"Sarah. . ."


	5. Having Forgotten to Live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/18/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney.
> 
> A/N: Revised 9/18/2015. Cross-posted to Ao3 11/10/2015

  


* * *

**Chapter 5: Having Forgotten to Live**

* * *

  
A tingling chill ran through Sarah's flesh at the feel of his gloved fingertips on her cheek. She could not help the shiver that ran along her spine and left her quaking before him. Jared; the Goblin King himself sat at the edge of her bed with an odd look on his sharp features. Oh, that smile which displayed rows of white teeth was present but there was nothing joyful in it. There was fear that instead of waking from her dreams, she had only continued them.

If Sarah just sat there a while and grounded herself, he would be gone. Jareth would return to the place dreams faded to and she could continue on with her normal, boring life. Her eyes squeezed closed and head tilted away from him. This was all a dream and Jareth an illusion of her wishful mind. He was not currently sitting on the edge of her bed. He wasn't there at all. This was all a dream. Jareth was an illusion. He wasn't there. Over and over the words repeated themselves in Sarah's mind as she tried to wish him away.

"Sarah, why are you making that face?"

That soft male voice cut across the silence in her bedroom disturbing her concentration. She could feel the gloved fingertips upon her chin as he drew her eyes to his. No, Sarah would not look at him. If she looked at him then she had to acknowledge that he was there and real; it was not something she could afford to do. Her sanity and the grounds she'd built her life on needed Jareth to be an illusion. They would shatter and become unstable otherwise.

"You aren't here, you aren't real." Sarah whispered over and over again.

She closed her eyes so hard that tears began to seep about the edges of the lids to soothe the burning. He would be gone when she looked again. He had to be gone when she looked again. Sarah could smell the leather of his gloves and feel it brushing against her chin still. And when her eyes opened, Jareth had moved closer, still there though he shouldn't be. He wasn't real and he couldn't look at her the way he was looking at her now. There was pity in his eyes; Sarah hated him for his pity.

"Don't look at me like that." Tears rimmed her eyes and spilled across her cheeks as she fought to regain control of herself. "You can't look at me like that, it's not fair."

That mantra continued to repeat itself over and over in Sarah's head. Jareth is not real. Jareth is not here. There was a part of Sarah that had already given up her disbelief though she fought it. Jareth was here and he was sitting next to her. The pity in his eyes was real and the haughty smile on his lips just part of his mask. How many more times would she wander being declaring him unreal and declaring him real before it set in? He was real and here.

There was a tilt to Jareth's head as he considered the woman before him. Was this his Sarah grown in to this cowering creature? It gave him no joy to see tears on her cheeks or fear in her eyes. It was not an emotion he had inspired so it had no place on her face. His smile curved wider until it finally reached his eyes and the blue seemed to dance and swirl with it.

"Oh, but Sarah, I am. I am real and I am here." His hand cupped her chin once more and leather brushed the underside. "I'll look at you any way I please; you hold no power over me." There was such mirth in that gaze and Sarah thought she might shrivel beneath his words.

He leaned in close to her then and in her haste to back away, Sarah's head bumped against the wall behind her. His fingers tightened at the dull thud from the wall to prevent anything worse from happening. She was a caged animal before him and he was uncertain how to act. Before, Jareth would have been loud and brash in his declarations but now he held back. If he scared her away this time it was unlikely that he would ever be able to get her back. No, for once in his long life, the Goblin King acted with caution.

Jareth's lips brushed hers in a chaste kiss before he drew back and his hand dropped away. There was now a thoughtful look in the man's eyes as he regarded her. His smile slipped just a bit before returning in full force. That odd sparkle, which Sarah equated with trouble, lit Jareth's eyes and he rose from the bed. He had thought to leave her here but now there was a game to play. Yes, this would be an enjoyable game. He would win her trust again and torment her with his affection.

"How long have you been looking in to mirrors, Sarah? How long have you been looking for a face that wasn't there?" There was amusement in his tone; his words laced with it.

The face that Sarah had been looking for hadn't graced her mirror in half a dozen years now. In all that time, Jareth had never once allowed her to see him. He had vanished back in to the Labyrinth and kept his observations from afar. There were limits to his powers in her world which was something Sarah should be grateful for. If there hadn't been limits, he would never have let her fall so far before coming here. She was rotting in this place and he felt sorrow at it. Where was her bright soul?

Sarah frowned at his question. Had she been gazing in mirrors looking for his face? "You don't exist. I can't look for something that doesn't exist, Jareth." And yet, some part of her had been looking.

It was hard to falter before her declaration. Now Jareth was certain that Sarah was feebly trying to convince herself that he did not exist. She knew he did and soon enough that last little rebellion would fall away. He would not allow her to continue to rot in a place that killed and oppressed dreams. Sarah did not belong in this world; she belonged to the Labyrinth. He would make her see this.

What had become of the little girl Jareth had so admired? She had been so vibrant and full of life the last time they'd met. He could still see the seeds of that vibrancy within her; if only she would stop denying it to herself. There was no use for someone like Sarah to try so hard to fit in when it was impossibility. Dreamers stood out and up so that they could achieve their dreams. He felt disappointment that Sarah had been so quick to let them die. Jareth had thought better of her when she'd been young. He had thought she was the type of person that he could keep as a companion.

"Tsk, tsk, Sarah. I keep telling you, I'm real. I'm here." His arms opened wide as he gestured to the entire room and then himself. "What will it take to convince you?"

Jareth was little better than the doctors he now regarded as evil. He saw the error in his own ways when they'd first met. What he had wanted was not to make her a companion but to preserve and cage her soul so that only he could see it. A soul that would not have grown or changed because he would have kept it exactly as it was. And when Sarah's spirit had finally broken and that soul had turned to ash he would have set her aside for another. In time, her empty shell would have meant nothing to him. That was the problem with having so much time on his hands; people and objects had so little value.

The doctors had managed that well enough on their own. He moved from the bed to her dressing table and lifted the orange bottle between two fingers. Pills and mantras caged the dreamer's soul in this place. The dreamer heard it repeated that she was crazy so often that she believed. It was a far more effective cage than anything Jareth could have thought up. He admired and loathed them for it. Had it been anyone but Sarah would Jareth have cared at all?

His dreamer believed them and it was with irritation that Jareth fought hard to break the spell. They, the doctors and her parents, had cured her of her dreams and pronounced her fit to move in society. It was an involuntary reflex of anger that saw the bottle crushed in his hand. He gazed at the plastic shards and white pills spilled on the carpet at his feet. They were stains on the off color carpet and Jareth lifted a booted foot to grind them to dust.

Stormy blue eyes turned to the woman on the bed as that feral smile returned to his lips. "Oh, but I am real. I will convince you of it." His finger shaken at her in a scolding manner; he would convince her.

Sarah watched the pills spill from between his fingers and drop to the carpet. She was certain that there had been more pills in that bottle yesterday. It had only been a dream last night, hadn't it? What Sarah had seen in the mirror was only a hallucination? The idea that Jareth might have arrived to save her life was unfathomable. He had come out of hiding or had broken her spell on him to come here. No, she could not allow herself to believe that. To do so would be to admit that Jareth was real. He wasn't. Was he?

"How do you intend to do that?" Her dark eyes were upon his form and Jareth felt their weight. "How do you intend to convince me, with magic?"

It was to be a challenge then. Jareth let that feral smile widen across his lips and stalked from the vanity toward her. This was why he had let her go that day. This is the spirit that he had been so close to caging for his own delight. That tiny little piece of rebellion which sparked an ember in her eyes was returning. Love. The Goblin King knew nothing of love but he knew how seeing that ember in Sarah's eyes made him feel. It made him feel alive. The world stopped tilting on its axis and Jareth finally had a clear direction to go in. He would make her see.

Sarah was watching him as though she expected a reply. What reply could he give her to that question? "I will show you. I will show you everything you have set aside. I will remind you." It was the simplest answer that Jareth could give.

Part of Jareth ached because he was afraid she would die here. It was a nightmare to think that Sarah would die an old, spiritless lady lying in a hospital bed. His smile faded as that image passed across his mind and it took several moments to push it away. That is not how Sarah would live and die; he would not let her. She could disagree all she wanted. He would let her kick, scream and throw any fit she liked. He would still not allow it. She would see; he would make her see.

"For seven years, you have banished me, Sarah. For seven years, you have denied my existence to yourself." His hand extended to touch her cheek and caress. "Your will has grown weak. Does it surprise you that I have broken free? I have been waiting for this moment all that time. I will not let them keep you in this prison. It's time to come home."

Silence fell between them and Jareth began to steel himself as he awaited the protest that was coming. Sarah had gone still and was staring at Jareth with the oddest look on her face and in her eyes. Had what he'd said been that extraordinary? No. The protest started with the shaking of her head and one hand pushing back the covers of her bed. Sarah had risen to her feet and began to pace back and forth between the bed and vanity table.

"You..." There was more that Sarah wanted to say but it was a struggle to let it out. "You're not real." Her hands moved as she spoke lifting and falling in frantic motions. "I can't go somewhere with you if you're not real, Jareth. Why can't you understand that?"

Jareth wanted to point out the irony of his understanding if he were real or not. A creature that was not real could not understand that it was not real. And a creature that was real would not understand that it wasn't real, because it was real. Right? For a moment his head spun as he tried to grasp that line of thought again. While he righted himself mentally, Sarah sat down at the vanity and began to look through the drawer. The pills were gone; they should have been. Had he not just crushed the bottle?

Her eyes lifted to his face in regard as she spoke. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

She was mistaking him. Sarah thought that he had made an offer or a demand. He had not; he had told her what was going to happen. She could not stay in this place and let herself shrivel and dwindle in its cage. She would not. His eyes were on her as she continued to dig through that drawer before at last coming up with another bottle. There were more pills in it and he felt his heart sink at the sight.

"If I take one of these, you'll go away."


	6. Time to Dwell in Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/18/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney.
> 
> A/N: Revised 9/18/2015. For those that never read the original version of this, I'm sorry to tell you that I don't have a copy. I am writing over it as we speak. To give you an idea of the revision process, when this chapter was originally posted, it had 1290 words. The revision is almost 3k. I really hope the extra words made it worth reading. Also, in case you're wondering, you can tell the revised chapters from the old based on this nifty little header. The old chapters didn't have this. Cross-posted 11/10/2015.

  


* * *

**Chapter 6: Time to Dwell in Dreams**

* * *

  
Laughter was the response that Sarah got to her declaration. For the space of a few moments, Jareth had stood before her with a dumbfounded expression on his face. His eyes taking in the way that Sarah held that pill bottle aloft like some hard won trophy and the triumph in her eyes. It was so absurd that he could not help the laughter which escaped his lips. Later, when Jareth had time to reflect on it, he might remember the hurt look in her eyes but for now he did not see it.

One gloved hand lifted to press to Jareth's eyes as he tried to control the tears which followed his laugh. Did she not understand? No, how could Sarah understand completely. He had not yet made her see and that was the problem. She didn't see. For years, Sarah had given in to the will of others which told her this would work. If she took those pills, her soul would be back in its cage and nothing bad could happen to her there.

Well, that situation would need fixed immediately. "No, Sarah. The pills cannot make me go away." His hands folded before him as he regarded her. "I was always watching you from a distance. You can make me go away. You have always had the power to make me go away." Jareth was calm as he revealed to her this weakness. "But you need to face reality, Sarah and the reality is that you don't want me to leave."

He seated himself on the edge of the bed and made a study of arranging his coat tails and shirt. Sarah was faltering before him. If he waited just a few moments more, her resolve would crumble and then they could begin to make headway. All Jareth had to do was remain patient. He tugged on his glove cuffs to adjust them and dusted off his pants while she pulled herself together. She was gathering her courage and he would give her time to screw her courage to the sticking place, as it were. If only Sarah had looked to that courage when this had begun, it would have made this much easier.

And where had that spark of courage been last night? He already knew the answer to that question; locked away inside her. Last night Jareth had watched her through the mirror as she had taken those pills one by one. He had counted more than a dozen of those little white prisons passing her lips. There had been no feeling nor was there an outward show of any emotion to betray that Sarah had known what she doing. He felt guilt in his part of having watched her fall so far and doing nothing to stop it. Jareth had wanted her to fall.

"They have to." Sarah sounded broken as she whispered those words to him. "If they don't, it means I'm crazy. I can't be crazy. I'm not."

There was a pain in Jareth's chest in the region of his heart at those words. He had watched her take those pills and seen the way the emotions had drained from her face. A glance at the bottle had told him that Sarah had taken more than she should have. One to two, the directions said, but not eleven or twelve. He thought he'd understood her intentions but this morning had changed that view. Sarah did not want to die but neither was she living.

Whatever Jareth thought Sarah had intended, she only remembered it as a dream now. He could work with that. She did not remember that he had been the one to stay her hand before she'd taken another pill. And whatever thoughts had led Sarah to that bring to begin with appeared forgotten for the moment. Jareth had seen her leave with that man and return distraught without him. He had heard the message left on her machine. The man meant to take her away and when Sarah had not gone this Christopher had abandoned her.

A smile curled Jareth's lips upward. "I could make him run through the Labyrinth." His head canted just enough to give him a better view of Sarah's face. She looked confused at his words. "Never mind." He gave a wave of one gloved hand to dismiss that line of thought.

And though Sarah might wonder where that had come from, Jareth now considered seeking the man out. A run through the Labyrinth would help this Christopher learn a bit of appreciation. Well, it would if Jareth had any intention of letting him win. It would be a diverting game and so was set aside as too diverting. He needed to focus his attention on Sarah and her current needs.

"You're not, you know." He murmured. There, that was more in line with the conversation they had been having. It was a better answer than suggesting torture of her boyfriend. "You're not crazy. You're confused. They've made you confused. Let me help you, please."

If Sarah had not already been sitting, Jareth was certain that she would have sat down hard on any surface. It took him a moment to realize that it was not him reaffirming her sanity which had caused it. He'd said please. Blue eyes rolled upward in their sockets a moment and Jareth's head shook at her. Did she think that he had no manners at all? Yes, thank you very much, the Goblin King had said please. He berated her mentally but at least had the good graces to not speak again. No, let her gather her thoughts.

Sarah had gone through a range of emotions during this span of conversation. One moment she had been trying to be indignant and the next close to breaking down as he'd spoken his piece. Of course the pill would make him go away, that was what the pills were for. And no he was not watching her from a distance because that would mean Jareth had been stalking her all this time. And yes, she was crazy, thank you very much. No, wait, she wasn't crazy. Her mind twisted and turned over his words and her own trying to answer him. He deserved an answer.

"How is this possible?" If he was real, if Jareth existed, how could it be? "Are you an alien or is it a parallel universe?" These words whispered because if anyone overheard her, they would think she was mad. "And if you tell me that it's magic, that's the end of the conversation. I want to know how, I want to understand."

There was a grunt of frustration from the man. Jareth had fixed her with a hard gaze as he searched for the words to explain. Magic was the answer he had been about to give but it was the only answer he knew. How best to explain that to Sarah? One gloved hand lifted a moment to twist and turn before his face before he stripped the glove away. His bare hand held up between them before he reached out to grasp her arm in his fingers.

"You can feel me touching you. I am warm and alive. You can feel the beat of my heart." His thumb pressed in to her arm more at those words. Yes, she could feel the beat of his heart. "That is how. I just am. I can't explain it better than that. Underground exists and I can get to it the same way you walk through a door and get to the hallway."

Her eyes drifted closed and Sarah took a moment to compose herself. She could smell dusty stone, open air and horses which was odd considering she'd never seen him ride one. Did a magical king need a horse? He'd always seemed to be popping in and out wherever he pleased the last time they'd met. It was beginning to sink in that their last meeting might have been less fantasy and more reality. That meant he had kidnapped her brother, at her request, and there was a Labyrinth. The implications left her reeling.

It was far too easy to throw caution to the wind and tell Jareth that she wanted him to take her away. She was miserable here and he was offering her dreams again. Chris had told her not to call back if the answer was no and Sarah wasn't certain that she felt anything at his leaving. She felt something about the demise of their relationship, yes, but at his leaving, no. He had made it clear in that message that he wasn't coming back to her. It would be so easy to just leave with Jareth.

Despite the ease with which Sarah's mind accepted that going with Jareth was a good idea, she did not say so. There were other considerations to make about the idea. Jareth did not love her but then if he took care of her, did that matter? Was Sarah even certain that Jareth did not love her? He'd come, after all, when she most needed someone. It was Jareth's voice that she had heard the night before.

The ugliness of self-doubt chose that moment to rear its head and Sarah shook her head to clear it. No. Jareth was not real. Underground was not real. There was no castle and no labyrinth. She had not escaped the Goblin King or won his game and Toby was not kidnapped. None of it had ever happened. It was a dream that she had made up to pass the time while Carin and her father were out.

A low moan of despair escaped Sarah's lips and she hunched her shoulders while cupping her face in her hands. Jareth started forward to grasp at her wrists but drew back at the last minute. This was something Sarah needed to work through on her own and without influence. For a time, they sat together while Sarah sorted through her thoughts and feelings. What she felt toward him was too real but the images of Underground were too cartoon-like to believe.

"I don't know if I can go with you, Jareth." Sarah whispered. "I don't know if I can bring myself to believe it's real." Her head lifted from her hands so that she could see his face as she said it. Would he be angry at this admission? "I want to."

Her hands fell to her knees and grasped hold of them. If this went too far, she would need to make an appointment with her doctor. It was the only way she would be able to keep rooted in this world after today. There would have to be more pills and therapy sessions. Sarah realized now that she was afraid. If Jareth was only a madman and could not deliver what he promised, what would she do?

The prickling, burning sensation of tears caused Sarah to lift one hand to her eyes. If she went back to the doctor, he would give her more pills to combat the hallucinations. They would be stronger and might interfere more and then she would never be rid of them. Crazy; it made her feel crazy when all she wanted was to feel normal. Jareth was offering her his twisted version of normal.

For his part, Jareth sat by watching the play of emotions across her face. He considered what options there were to convince her and weighed each against the other. It would be easy to trick Sarah and take her back in to the Labyrinth. He could do that and still live with himself for the most part. What good would that do? She was already at the point of breaking and one more shove would shatter her. He would not be that shove.

Not for the first time that night, Jareth wondered how someone who had been so full of life could have fallen so low. This world was beautiful and full of many ingenious inventions, but it was a killer of dreams. That was the answer he gave himself; the world had killed her dreams. He shifted from the edge of the bed to kneel before Sarah and take both of her hands in his. His chin rested atop her bowed head as he sat in silence with her.

What words could he give Sarah to assure her that she was wrong? There was a time when he would have acted but the last time those actions had proven wrong. This game no longer seemed so thrilling as it had an hour ago. His instinct was to steal Sarah away and hide her so that the world could not do more damage. It would do no good, of course, because she would not be strong afterward.

In time, Jareth was certain that Sarah would grow to love him and be secure in his company and embrace. What would happen, though, should he have cause to have to leave her? Death was no great obstacle but it required time to recover from. And if, in that time, she had to step back out and face the world, it would only break her again. No, the Sarah who sat before him now would not be able to face that on her own.

Dreams die hard even for the Goblin King. He wished that he had the old Sarah back. Right now he would even be happy with her defiance and declarations about the unfairness of the world. It was far better than this pitiable creature who sat before him. He struggled to find the words to answer and guide her. Jareth, who had rarely struggled at anything, struggled at this.

"Let me help you, Sarah, please." There was such desperation in his voice as he whispered those words to her. His hands grasped harder at hers and cheek turned to brush her hair.

Sarah leaned back at the tone she heard in that voice, freeing herself of his head on hers. She lifted dark eyes to gaze in to blue and sat there considering the man before her. Tears ran from dark eyes and trailed along her cheeks, dripping atop his uncovered hand. He was asking her to trust him. Could Sarah do that?

"Okay." She whispered to him. "Help me, Jareth, please."


	7. Running the Wrong Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/21/2015)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney.
> 
> A/N: Revised 9/21/2015. This is the last revision of the old chapters. Everything posted from here on out is new content and will take longer to post. I need to write it, re-write it, and then edit it. Cross-posted 11/10/2015.

  


* * *

**Chapter 7: Running the Wrong Way**

* * *

  
Jareth was still and silent. It was not possible that Sarah had just agreed to let him help. Sarah wouldn't do that, would she? Disbelief passed over his face and then a slow smile spread across his lips. His head dipped so that he could press his lips to first one of her hands and then the other. Despite the joy that Jareth felt at her declaration, a pool of dread settled deep in his belly. Sarah, his Sarah, would never have given in so fast.

After all, he had been expecting days of arguments to get his way. He had expected hot, angry tears and denials with heated arguments but neither had come. He had expected to be storming off to calm down before dealing with the infuriating woman. Instead, it had only taken hours and Jareth was left only to figure out how to help. There was a glimmer of hope that Sarah was not convinced that her dreams were not real and he could revive her spark. And yet, the dread feeling that she was so broken she'd given in without a fight. What if she never recovered?

"Good. We will find this path together." His lips pressed to her hands once more before blue eyes lifted to hers. "I will help you, I promise you that."

Sarah would never be the Sarah that Jareth remembered. He forced himself to understand that. It did not mean that she couldn't be herself again though. There were times in the last hours that it had been hard to see that spark of life in the woman sitting before him. Sometimes, he fancied if he turned his head just the right way, he could see it. It was just a tiny spark but Jareth was certain he could fan those flames once more.

There was a pain in that odd region of Jareth's chest that anyone else might call his heart. A man who had never doubted for a single moment that his course was true now doubted. What if he could not help her in the way she needed? Would he be content to lock her away in a gilded cage and hope some glimmer of her soul returned? There was always a way and Jareth would find it. After all, once the Goblin King had given his word, there was no going back on it. Well, unless the situation called for it.

There had to be a catch. Sarah had learned that there was always a catch when someone offered advice or help. She expected that Jareth would laugh and tell her that it would not be that easy. No, she would have to do something for him first and then he would fulfill her wishes. Or maybe there would be a price that she would have to pay afterward that was far too high. So, when Jareth fell silent and gazed at her in disbelief, she found herself unable to react. He was serious in his offer of help. Was she so bad off that even Jareth had given up pretenses?

She did need help. It was a sobering thought and not one Sarah liked admitting to. She was quick, almost too quick, to fill the hole left behind by Chris the night before. Of course, there was a part of Sarah which whispered that Chris had only ever been a plug himself. The hole had been there since she'd left the Underground all those years ago. She had always felt as though something were missing after that night but never known what.

With Jareth here, the hole had begun to fill itself. If he were here it meant that dreams were real and that her friends might still be alive. It was a pity that this particular Knight didn't have shining armor. That and his flair for the dramatic could rival most full tilt divas; Sarah was unable to help her giggle. Jareth was hardly good material for saving a damsel in distress.

Sarah glanced about them a moment to get her bearings. "I suppose we should think about breakfast." She murmured, because there was nothing left to say on the other subject; he would help.

A hand lifted to brush dark hair back from her face before Sarah pushed herself upward. His hands released as she moved out of the vanity chair to stand on her own. Jareth rose with her but took a step back to let Sarah have her space once more. Her laugh was sudden as a hand swiped across her eyes and cheeks. Sarah knew what to say to him now, of course, as being a good hostess came to mind.

"Well, our options for breakfast are take out, cold pizza or I might have everything to make us a sandwich." She said with a grin on her lips after she'd presented the options. It was an interesting image, one of Jareth eating mortal food.

The puzzled look which crossed Jareth's features would have been endearing on anyone else. Did he have no idea what those foods were? Well, he was a King, what did a king eat anyway? The desperation and pleading that had been in his eyes earlier had now vanished. The need for food had become some sort of odd priority in his mind. For her part, Sarah enjoyed seeing the cold, mocking mask gone from his features. He must be much older than her but like this he looked young still.

The smirk which curled his lips upward had Sarah taking a step back. He looked so much like the Goblin King she remembered in that moment. "What? No turkey legs or rack of lamb? Oh, very well, common food." He replied haughtily; his arms folding about himself as his back straightened to give him a regal pose. The pose faltered at the look in her eyes and Jareth deflated slightly. "A sandwich will do just fine." He murmured.

There was nod to show Sarah's acceptance of his choice and a faint upturning of her lips betrayed a smile. Perhaps she had not been as intimidated as he'd thought her a moment ago. It was tiresome always having to consider the feelings and opinions of others in this way. He had forgotten, in a mere span of moments, that Sarah had been damaged and needed careful treatment.

He smirked in return; his voice full of soft teasing as he spoke. "You act as though you thought you'd stumped me with your choices. No, Sarah, I have been around the mortals a long while now." On occasion, Jareth had been known to amuse himself by stalking a particular mortal or two in a twisted recruiting scheme to add new members to his kingdom. "I've even been known to kidnap a child or two."

It would be a point of contention between them later. Sarah had forgotten that one of his pass times was to turn children in to goblins. Did he do that? She made a mental note to ask that question later. Beyond that, the idea of goblins breeding and making their own children felt wrong. They were fairy tale creatures; didn't their children just magic in to existence? The idea that every single goblin had been created out of a human child was sickening. What sort of depravity had it taken to warp so innocent a creature?

Sarah sighed and shook her head before saying, "Alright, on that note, I need to get dressed." She glanced between Jareth and the door waiting for him to get the point and give her privacy.

Either denizens of the Underground had no modesty or he was enjoying this bit of power over her. Jareth made no move to leave, his lips curling upward as he murmured, "By all means, get dressed." A flash of something in those blue eyes; clearly it was about the power.

"Out!" Her voice rising as a clean t-shirt was flapped at him.

Jareth laughed and made his escape, not teasing her more. It was best to keep the banter between them easy and lighthearted. If he pushed too fast too soon, Jareth was certain that he would lose her again. Patience was not his strong point but something that was getting a lot of exercise today. A nice breakfast would allow a bit more talk and he would have more time to plan what came next. He needed time.

There had been no plan last night when he'd stepped through the mirror to save her. There had been no plan this morning when Sarah had awoken groggy and disoriented. Now he had gained her acceptance but not her trust. Her trust would only be gained if he could show her he had a plan to help her. How was he going to help her through this? This most obvious answer was to convince Sarah to return to the Labyrinth. There he could show her what she had only dreamed of.

For Jareth to convince her to return to the labyrinth, he needed her trust. To gain her trust, he needed to show her that he was serious about helping her. She still thought that this was a trick and he could hardly blame her for that. After the last meeting, Jareth wasn't certain that Sarah wasn't having a bit of fun with him in return. Well, except, the look in her eyes at times when they'd been talking. She had this lost look that he did not like seeing.

It all would have been so much easier if he could just snap his fingers and make her obey. Or a peach, she could eat a peach or an apple and forget this world. He could make her forget that any of this had ever happened. That thought died away sharply as the door to Sarah's bedroom opened and she stepped out. No, Jareth was certain he couldn't do that to her. He still wanted her as she was. She would be even less of herself if he made her forget. As harsh as this world was, it had created Sarah.

"So, food. Sandwiches. I think I have some ham and cheese...maybe mayonnaise." She was babbling because the realization that Jareth was actually here had settled in. He was here and he wanted to have breakfast with her. "Normally, I would make you eggs and bacon, but I don't have that."

He would follow her, half amused at her babble, in to the kitchen and watch as she pulled ingredients out. It was good to see Sarah's mind occupied by something other than her troubles. They would get through breakfast together and then figure out how best he could help her. It occurred to Jareth that if he asked she might give him a hint how best to gain her trust. After all, she had been the one to open up to his help.

Sarah doubted that Jareth kept a weekend apartment in the city. She had agreed to his help but neither of them had spoken about what that might mean. Would he need a place to stay? Did he have a suggestion for somewhere else they might go? She had to work at some point to pay the bills and feeding two people, instead of one, would definitely cost more. Did Jareth have money?

The most troubling part of all these thoughts was her easy acceptance of the situation. Jareth wasn't real. Her mind kept telling her this, screaming it at her so that her ears were ringing with it. No matter how often her brain told Sarah this, her heart and soul believed otherwise. Jareth was real and he was already bringing her long disused imagination back to life. She'd spent time while getting dressed daydreaming about fuzzy blue worms and biting fairies.

Sarah felt, again, that she had come home for the first time in years. Home, at the moment, was a pair of blue eyes gazing at her from the doorway of the kitchen. He had an odd little smile on his lips as he watched her which suited him well. It was better, in her opinion, than the haughty smirks and sneers that he was capable of. This smile at least made him look more human, approachable.

Jareth hesitated, before asking, "Do you need help?" Because it was not normal for him to offer help for menial jobs like cooking; He had cooks for that. Though, come to think of it, the goblins were not the best cooks. Scratch that then, he had magic for cooking.

"No, you can sit. The kitchen's small, so two of us in here will be crowded. You'll step on my foot, I'll step on yours." Sarah murmured as she laid plates out, going through the motions to make the sandwiches.

Silence fell between them; it was comfortable and Sarah appreciated that. Jareth took his time getting comfortable on one of the breakfast stools. His position of diva reinforced when Sarah glanced up to find him rearranging his coat tails to suit. She giggled again, unable to help herself. If only she'd known what a good sound that was for Jareth to hear. It was laughter and her laughter was like music. That smile which had been hovering about Jareth's lips widened.

It felt as though Jareth had already healed many of the hurts in her soul by being here. Sarah knew that it was only a brief interlude and given the chance the pain would return. This was dawn before the darkness but until the darkness came again, she would enjoy herself. The memories of this time with him might be the light she needed to get through it.

Her eyes would go to Jareth now and then to watch as he looked about himself. He always seemed so comfortable wherever he was. Oh, his clothes were out of fashion and his hair right out of the eighties, but that was a choice. There were actually rather a lot of people that looked like that on television these days. Come to think of it, Jareth might fit in with a rock band if he could sing at all. Hadn't he been singing in Underground?

Jareth's head turned and his brow furrowed but before Sarah could ask him what was the matter, a knock came. Someone was knocking on the front door. She leaned back to get a glimpse of the clock on the stove before her head shook. It was too early to be someone selling something and she didn't see much of that in this building anyway.

"Now who could that be?" The words had no sooner left Sarah's mouth than her mind went to Chris. He wouldn't come over this early. No, Chris would think she was at work and go there instead, wouldn't he? Her eyes went to Jareth who had made to slide out of his seat. "No, stay there." A finger pointed at him to punctuate her point.

He was her guest and she would not shy away from someone else seeing him. There was a flutter in her stomach because if it were Chris, he might get the wrong idea seeing Jareth. Perhaps she should have him step in to the bedroom. No, that was also a bad idea. It was best if the man was out there in the open for anyone coming by to see. Jareth was a friend which was the only good explanation. He was a friend she had called to come over.

Sarah peered through the peephole in the door and took a soft breath. The door pulled open with the chain still on, gazing through it at her visitor. "Hello, Chris."


	8. Wrong Way is the Right Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 9/21/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. I do own Chris but I wish I didn't.
> 
> A/N: At long last, the real Chapter 8. This is the first new content in nine years; rejoice. Or don't, just read.
> 
> If you have not gone back and read all of the revised chapters, then going forward this might not make sense. As I revised, the story arc and idea changed slightly. I'm going in a different direction. Also I have not read Return to the Labyrinth, but I am aware of it, so any resemblance is purely coincidental. Cross posted 11/10/2015

  


* * *

**Chapter 8: Wrong Way is the Right Way**

* * *

  
Sarah wished that she'd had a camera on hand to catch the look on Chris' face when she'd opened the door. He looked nothing short of astonished. She wasn't certain what he had been expecting to find when stopping by but it was not this. There were flowers clutched in one hand and what looked like a small box of chocolates tied to their stems. If she were to hazard a guess, Chris had gone by the museum and found out that she'd call out of work that morning. He had assumed that she was at home bawling her eyes out and that he could comfort her. He was wrong, of course, because someone else had beaten him to it.

A sheepish look crossed his face as he looked Sarah over, the flowers and chocolate forgotten. "I...well, that is to say, I thought..." Chris stammered a moment before composing himself and clearing his throat. "I called the museum to see if you would have lunch with me later. You didn't return my call last night." Or this morning, but, he was wise not to add that admonishment in. "So I thought since you weren't feeling well, I would stop by."

Never mind that she wasn't feeling well because of the argument they'd had the night before. Sarah let her brow knit a moment as she listened to him. It would be so easy to throw her arms about his neck and forgive him. She could tell him that yes; she would go with him to D.C. and be his housewife. It would be so easy to just do that and stop fighting. Her head canted as she heard Jareth shifting just beyond the hallway.

"No, I didn't. I thought you were pretty clear on what you wanted, Chris. You said if the answer was no, not to call you back." Sarah murmured. Her arms folded about her chest as she continued to block his view in to the apartment. "I haven't changed my mind."

Oh, but she had, she almost had. If it weren't for that dream and those pills, Sarah had changed her mind and planned to call him this morning. She would have said yes and they'd have gone on together to live their lives. Her dreams would have stayed forgotten and Jareth a memory. Would that have been so bad a fate? No, Sarah didn't think it was bad for some people, but it wasn't supposed to be hers. She'd all these dreams and aspirations; when had they fallen by the wayside?

Chris stood before her uncertain what to say. There had to be that one magic phrase which would change her mind, make her see reason. His eye went to the chain still on the door then back to what he could see of her through the crack. She was keeping space between them so that he couldn't get any closer. It was disappointing, to say the least, but he still hadn't found his words. No, he needed time.

"May I come in?" He whispered, eyes on her face. "So we can talk about this a bit more?" As though talking about it would change Sarah's resolve.

Did Chris see that she was ready to break? Sarah wondered if he could feel her indecision or knew her well enough to know. If she let him in, then there was a good chance that Sarah would give in to what he was asking her. She was so close to the edge of it all. Her eyes drifted closed in thought a moment before she stepped back to unfasten the chain. Jareth was in the apartment and he wasn't going to let her drift away again. He'd promised to help.

A faint frown tugged at Sara's lips, eyes lifting to Chris before she murmured. "I should warn you; I have company." And that company was now standing down the hallway gazing at the young man framed in the doorway. "This is ...Jared, an old friend."

Jareth looked as though Christmas had come quite early and almost bounced forward. This was definitely not the strong, stoic Goblin King that Sarah had dreamed of so many times. No, whichever mask this was, it was a bubbly one. There was a small part of her that feared for Chris but another part reveled in what she thought might come next. Jareth would not be on his best behavior now that a chance for mischief had presented itself.

"You must be Christopher." Jareth said; his deep voice taking almost a playful tone as he offered his hand. "Jared Keating. It's my pleasure. Sarah has told me so much about you. I don't get to see my old friend often..."

He was laying it on a bit thick and Sarah elbowed Jareth as he pushed past her. A faint grunt let her know that he had gotten her message but it was likely ignored. Chris looked completely taken aback by the man grasping his hand and shaking it. He leaned to the left to get a better view of Sarah who only smiled and shrugged in answer. Jareth was Jareth and that was all there was to it. There was no excusing him or making amends for him, nor stopping him.

Chris looked to Sarah for help but she did not give it. Who was this man and why was he in her apartment? She had never mentioned an old friend but then maybe it had slipped her mind if they weren't in regular contact. His hand shaken before Jared had let him go and stood back to look him over. They needed to speak alone, him and Sarah, so that she could explain herself.

"Yes, I am...I'm sorry. I think Sarah forgot to mention you. Jared, was it?" Chris said, shooting another look at Sarah before his eyes returned to Jared. "I just need a few minutes alone with Sarah, if you don't mind. I don't want to interrupt your visit."

Jareth's smile widened, if possible, and he nodded his agreement. "Oh, yes, of course, of course. I'll just be in the kitchen with the sandwiches. It was so nice to meet you. Sarah, I'll finish up breakfast." His hand touched her arm in an unusual show of comfort as he passed heading back to the kitchen.

Sarah's eyes followed the man back down the hallway until he disappeared. Her suspicions had aroused as Jareth had never been one to give in at the drop of a hat. No, he had something in mind and Sarah was afraid to find out what. She returned her gaze to Chris, arms folding across her chest. He wanted to talk and they could talk right here, it would do. There was no way she was letting him further in to the apartment.

"There was no reason to mention him." She said, her voice kept soft and low. "I called him last night to talk. I didn't expect him to drive all night to get here and I wasn't going to turn him out once he was." Lie after lie falling from her lips, but what else could she say?

Because in the end, what did it matter that Jareth was here? Chris could be mad, if he wished, since they were still dating. Well, that was the confusing part of the situation. Were they still dating? Chris had said that if her answer were no, that their relationship was over. Granted, Sarah had not given him an answer but he had also said that not calling back would be taken as a no.

Chris frowned, murmuring, "I was hoping you had changed your mind or at least thought about it."

"It's only been a few hours, Chris. I called Jared to talk, and then I went to bed and slept. It's not even ten yet. Did you think I had changed my mind that fast?" She answered, frowning at him.

A loud crash resounded from the other room followed by the clattering of pots and pans. So, Jareth's plan was to create as much of a distraction as possible so that they could not talk. Soon there were other sounds coming from the kitchen; the sounds of cabinets and drawers opening, glasses clinking and silverware tinkling. Sarah frowned and glanced up the hallway.

"I haven't changed my mind, Chris." She murmured, glancing at Chris then back down the hallway. "I need a few days to think about it. It was nice of you to stop by, but I need to save my kitchen from Jared. I'll call you." But she wouldn't and they both knew it.

If Chris left now, it was the death of their relationship. The flowers faltered in his hand a moment before he laid them on the hall table for her. She hadn't changed her mind and she wasn't going to come rushing back to him. Chris turned back toward the door to leave. He wanted to argue with her, to make Sarah see reason, but the other man was here and might not like that.

"Okay." Chris whispered. He felt defeated; not an hour ago, he'd been certain she would welcome him back. "Call me if you need anything."

He turned back and stooped to kiss her cheek but paused, thinking better of it and at last leaving. Sarah closed the door behind him and put the chain in place. She stood with her forehead resting against the door as she calmed her racing heart. He was gone and there was an end to it, that was what was important.

The kitchen had grown silent and that thought filled her with dread. What was Jareth doing now? Her steps carried her back down the hall to gaze at the man. He was sitting on one of her bar stools, sipping a cup of coffee and picking at the sandwich that she'd already made. Where had he gotten coffee? A glance about the kitchen showed Sarah a pot on the stove half full of water and the jar of instant coffee from her cabinet.

"When did you learn how to make coffee?" She queried, shaking her head at him. "For that matter, how do you know what coffee is?"

Jareth snorted, waving a hand at her. "Coffee is the drink of traders and kings, brought from places far and wide to those who could afford to pay for it. Oh, I'm sure there were lesser forms, like this, in that time." His hand waving over the cup of instant he was drinking. Obviously, it was not up to his fine standards.

"Now that he is gone, we can get down to business." Jareth uttered, trying to sound bored but failing. He frowned at the trepidation filling him. They had to talk about this. "I want to take you back to the Underground."

There, the conversation had begun and he had managed to broach the most pressing topic. Jareth wanted Sarah back in the Underground. His reasons were many and varied but the most pressing was a need to save her from this place. He'd gone over this again and again earlier this morning when they'd been talking. It was the only way to rescue that beautiful soul so that he could gaze upon it once more.

He was expecting an argument on the subject. Sarah would argue with him and say that she could not leave her life. Wasn't that what had caused the breakup the night before? He had heard the message playing on her answering machine and heard what the man said just now. Chris had been asking Sarah to decide between her life here and whatever life he was offering. She'd turned Chris down so it felt natural to expect that she would turn him down as well.

"At least hear me out before you argue with me." Jareth went on without giving Sarah a chance to answer him. His eyes were on the cup of coffee, focusing there instead of on her still form. "I don't think that the city is good for you, Sarah. Look at what it's done; it's sucked the brightness out of you."

"Do you remember what you were like?" He murmured this, voice dropping to near whisper. "You were glorious and I was envious of that passion you had. I'd been in that Labyrinth answering summons for ... well, for far longer than your lifetime. Do you have any idea how many people wish their children and siblings away? It's disgraceful." Except, once again, Jareth capitalized on it by taking the children.

"I have ignored so many requests to take babies and small children away. Why do you think it was you I came to?" Because he had been watching her, that day in the park and many days before it. In his boredom and loneliness, the Goblin King had sought a soul like his. Once his soul had burned bright but the tedium of time had seen it begin to wane until he'd found Sarah.

With Sarah, Jareth's soul had begun to recover itself just a little bit. He watched as she dressed in her gowns and costumes, recited her lines and dreamed of faraway fairy tales. It made him wistful and the loneliness bitter. From time to time, there were others who would visit him in the Underground, but Jareth had a reputation for being difficult to deal with. None of the other Kings and Queens of Underground wanted to deal with his impish ways and mood swings. Over time, Jareth had found himself alone except for the goblins.

"There is brightness about you, Sarah. I know you will tell me that you are not the same person; you aren't. You grew up." His voice was sad as he spoke. The coffee cup rotated on its base between his fingers, blue eyes studying the rim and pattern. It was easier to gaze at that cup then to see her face. "You have dreams. They are still inside of you and I want to help you make them a reality."

He wanted to help even if it meant she would not stay with him. As before, Jareth realized that caging Sarah would be of no use. Her spirit would die and he would lose everything he loved about her. "I can help you fulfill some of those dreams in Underground. There are wondrous places to behold and creatures to see. If they don't spark and fuel that beautiful imagination, then there is no hope left for you."

"I believe that there is hope left for you. I believe I can fix this damage." Jareth looked up from his cup, at last, and found Sarah standing just across the counter from him. Her dark eyes were gazing in to his blue as though she were looking for something.

Did she think that he was still lying to her? It had only been a few hours and before that, years. He had never given her a reason to believe him before now. She searched his face for a few moments more before leaning away from the counter. Had she found what she was looking for in his face? He dearly hoped so.

Sarah leaned away from the counter and gave careful consideration to her reply. Would she go with him to the Underground? Could she? She was still struggling with believing he was real; the visit with Chris had dispelled most of that doubt. Chris had asked her to leave her life but she'd told him no. What made answering Jareth different? Her lips pursed in a frown, but she did not answer right away. To be honest, he was glad to see her thinking rather than reacting to his words; she needed to think.

"Let me eat, and then we can talk about this." Sarah murmured at last and turned away to fix her own sandwich.


	9. A Choice Made of Choices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 11/4/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. I do own Chris but I wish I didn't.
> 
> A/N: Apologies for the delay; I've been very busy with work and it's left me uninspired. Updates will be slow though I am working on multiple chapters at once; also the dialogue gave me difficulty. I had to re-write bits of it. Cross posted 11/10/2015.

  


* * *

**Chapter 9: A Choice Made of Choices**

* * *

  
Jareth was staring. He understood 'after lunch' to mean exactly that; they would speak as soon as Sarah had eaten. She had meant for the conversation not to happen right away which would give her time to think. Unfortunately, Jareth was not distracted by the other topics she'd brought up. He wanted to speak about this and only this. She sighed and gave in to the inevitable.

"What would I do in Underground?" Sarah asked, tucking her hair behind one ear in a nervous gesture.

Do? Well that question seemed to provide a significant enough distraction for him. The idea that Sarah might have to do anything left Jareth gaping a moment before he composed himself. Part of Sarah hated to see when he drew that aloofness on like a shroud, hiding beneath it and his arrogance. Why couldn't the men in her life be normal? Chris had been normal, she reminded herself. Normal had turned out to be boring or not enough to keep her focused on it, at least.

Jareth opened his mouth to reply, and then shut it again. This happened at least twice before he managed to reply to her query. "Do? You would be my guest. I haven't had a guest in so long. We could have a ball if you want; you remember the last one?" His lips turned upward at the return of that fond memory of Sarah in his arms as they danced. "And then there is the Labyrinth which is always a pretty walk this time of year or the Bog, if you prefer." It wasn't, but he would make it pretty for her.

"No, Jareth, I mean what would I do for an occupation? A job?" She interjected into his ramble, seeing that he had misunderstood. People in Underground had jobs, right? Sarah remembered the goblins lying about the throne room and town sleeping.

"Sarah, you are going to be my guest. You are coming to Underground to relax and …" To what, Jareth wondered; regain herself? How would he say that kindly enough not to offend her? He recalled a teenager Sarah who got offended by the smallest slight and had no wish to go back to that. That was a recipe for a headache Jareth had no wish to revisit; the Fates save him from stubborn females.

Sarah leaned forward on her stool to watch the emotions flickering across the man's face. "And?" The root of her distrust was always in the buts or ands which hung after sentences. It was often a phantom and never explored but she could hear it hanging there.

"And be yourself again." He continued, at last, eyes flickering to her face. He was uncertain what he expected to see there; perhaps hoping for some sign of what mood his words had put her in. There was nothing and Jareth drew in a deep breath to steel himself.

He found no reassurance in her silence, only anxiety and anticipation. The cup on the counter before him played with as a distraction so that he did not have to look up at her. Would she say nothing to ease his anxieties? He began to weigh the likelihood of her reactions. At best, Sarah might go off on a tirade about what was so wrong with being different. At worst, she might storm out or tell him to leave. There was no middle ground in how he thought she might react. Jareth began to question to himself why he felt that way. She was not so unyielding except when her eye was on a single prize.

"You're expecting me to argue with you." Sarah murmured, at last, as she slid off of her stool to refresh her cup of coffee. "You're expecting me to tell you that I'm still me. And maybe a year ago, or two or three, I might have. I know I'm not, Jareth. That's why I'm willing to listen to you. I can feel something missing and that I feel different. I just…" Her words trailing off as she tipped head back to gaze at the ceiling in thought.

She didn't know what it was that made her feel so different. There was some sort of void inside of her that she couldn't quite fill. "I had the most wonderful offer from Christopher last night." Because Jareth deserved to know what had happened, didn't he? "He's accepted an offer of a new job in another city and he wants me to come with him. It's perfect; the chance to marry this wonderful man and help him build his career only..." That was another word Sarah didn't like, adding it to the list of ands and buts in her mind.

"Only?" Jareth prompted, wanting her to continue the thought.

Sarah let out a sigh before continuing, "Only it felt wrong, Jareth. It felt like he was asking me to give up everything here and have nothing of my own. He wasn't. He was offering to be my husband and to give me a household to run, but that seems so old fashioned. I have a career at the museum. I'm not a director yet; I haven't been here long enough or worked hard enough yet. I could be, someday, but right now I work with the children's groups that come through. I like that work. I enjoy it. The idea of giving that up to help him with his career leaves me torn between feeling selfish and angry."

It wouldn't make sense to Jareth, Sarah was certain. Her impression of him was that he came from a time when women were bought and sold as chattel. Maybe it was an unfair assumption, but she'd seen no other women during her time in Underground. His style of dress reminded her of books she'd seen on the Dark Ages and Renaissance. Everyone knew how that had turned out for women. So, in her mind, he wouldn't understand what she was so upset about. He didn't understand why she wanted to have a job; wasn't this the same?

Now Sarah was uncomfortable with the silence, much as Jareth had been earlier. He was gazing down at the coffee mug caught between his hands, brow knitted and lips turned down. It was a thoughtful look and she wondered what it meant. Would he affirm that she was being selfish by not supporting this man who had been so good to her? Doubt crept in to Sarah's mind which returned to her memories of the night before and Chris' demands to her.

Jareth's voice was soft when he spoke. "Forgive me if I wax poetic and give you a cheesy line, as it were. If you loved this man, would you be having all these doubts? If you truly felt that he was the one and only, I would think that you would have jumped on the chance to be his wife. Of course, my memory of you is a jaded, given that you were what, fifteen, sixteen, when you told me to go to hell?"

And there was the truth of it: Sarah had had no problem telling Jareth to go away when she'd thought she felt nothing for him. Wasn't that what she'd complained about to herself last night? That despite Chris' demands and she'd felt nothing about losing the relationship. Sarah had been more upset realizing that she had lost some vital part of herself and Chris could not fill it. Damn; Jareth always had a way of seeing right through her.

"I don't like when you do that, Jareth." Sarah murmured. She lifted her cup to her lips and sipped at the warm coffee. "It makes you sound like you have sense. It throws me off balance."

He wasn't certain whether he was insulted by being accused of having sense or the lack of it. Still, it brought a small smile to Jareth's lips and his eyes rolled. "I don't like it when you sulk and stamp your foot like a child while screaming 'it's not fair'. We both have personality flaws." He quipped in return. "I imagine we'll find many more in each other if we spend much time together."

If, because Jareth didn't know if Sarah was any closer to her decision. He was, maybe, rushing the entire decision a little bit. In that way, at least, Sarah and Jareth were much alike. Once they were focused on an issue, they pushed for the resolution they saw as right. Sarah returning to the Underground and regaining even a small piece of her former self was the only right way. And if Jareth had to push her to get there, well, he was more than willing to take that task on. She had to come back because he couldn't imagine her not doing so.

"You still haven't answered my question about what I would do while I was there." Her hand waved to stall him from interrupting her. "Yes, you've offered a few suggestions and activities, but what am I going to do?"

By the Fates, what did the woman want, an itinerary? Jareth laughed at the absurd notion a moment before shaking his head. "Are you stalling because you so desperately want to say yes that you're afraid it's going too fast? That's it, isn't it, Sarah? You were so quick to say no to your Christopher last night. And here I show up with an offer, and you want to say yes immediately, don't you?"

Sarah was fearful of the triumphant look which had settled on Jareth's face. That was, as he put it, the root of the problem though, wasn't it? She had been so quick to say no to Chris last night and then this morning Jareth offers to take her away and she was ready to go. It felt too fast and too rushed. Hadn't she only just told Christ that she didn't want to jump in with both feet? And here Sarah was contemplating doing exactly that just a few hours later. Damn Jareth; he'd done it again. Was she really so transparent to him?

"Well, it does feel fast. I mean, just last night I turned Chris down and then today you're here and I'm going 'wee, to the Underground'. I have that nagging feeling that I'm doing something wrong and at the same time, I feel…light." Her hands had been in constant motion during this. Her coffee splattering a cabinet and dripping to the floor as the cup sloshed about. "Damn." The cup set on the counter as she started to clean up the mess with napkins.

That earlier ache returned to Jareth's chest as she fluttered about the kitchen. She was a broken woman before him and still he saw the parts of her that were whole and undamaged. This was something that he could most definitely fix if she would go with him. And hadn't she said that she wanted to? Sarah wanted to return to the Underground but her doubts and insecurities were monumental. His hand moved over his hair a moment and eyes flickered this way and that. Jareth needed something to focus on so that he could gather his thoughts.

He words were chosen carefully and spoken softly. "A few hours might be, yes, too fast. It is a large decision." Those blue eyes focusing at last on Sarah; he reminded himself of the promise to make her believe. That would not be done with boldness and quick action, but by reassurance and time. "And you have affairs to set in order, your job to take care of. There are many parts to this choice; I could take you away forever, as I want to. Or I could agree to take you for a time, and then return you here." Not an option he liked, but one Jareth was willing to do for her.

"If I agree to take you for a time and then return you here, you will have to have something to come back to. So, burning the bridge with your job and friends would be a bad idea." He continued that line of thought in his head a moment; he didn't care if she burnt that bridge, but she might. "So, the first decision is whether you want to go forever, just for a time, or as a trial. If you decide the second or third option, then there is work to be done before we can leave. If it's the first, I'll set the apartment on fire as we leave." A devilish smile returning to his lips; there was the playful Goblin King.

He left his seat at the bar and came around it in to the kitchen to take her hands. "What I think you should do, right now, is stop playing sick. Go to work, see your friends, spend some time away from me and think about what you want to do. It pains me to say that, I assure you. I want to grab you up and whisk you away, but that would make neither of us happy. I tried it once before," His voice soft at this admission. "Go get dressed and go to work. I'll be here when you get back."

Jareth's hands left hers and he moved away to give Sarah space. Trust, he was trying to build trust with her and this was the way to do it. He had to show her that he had grown and learned in the time she'd been away. It was painful and Jareth wanted to turn from the path but he kept on it. Sarah gazed after him but at last took his advice. She dressed and went to work, leaving Jareth to play with her television. Sarah was sure that would be a mistake as images of the apartment on fire flickered through her mind. Jareth and technology; who would win?


	10. Not Distracted by Distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 11/9/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: I re-read the prologue. I still don't like it, so at some point (after I'm finished maybe, unless it nags at me), I'll work on revising it again or maybe scraping it altogether. So, this chapter is Sarah's chapter and the next chapter will be Jareth's chapter. And then we'll rejoin them together in Chapter 12. Cross posted 11/10/2015.

  


* * *

**Chapter 10: Not Distracted by Distraction**

* * *

  
Mr. Edwards, the director of Sarah's department, had expressed surprise and pleasure at her arrival. She had explained that her upset stomach and headache had passed with a bit of rest. And if one of the passing docents overheard and asked with a giggle if she were pregnant, Sarah tried not to mind. By the end of the week, there would no doubt be rumors about her relationship with Chris. It was already known that he'd stopped by this morning to see her. Hannah had asked about the visit almost as soon as Sarah had settled into her office.

Work should have been a distraction for Sarah but instead it served as a constant reminder. At any other time the potential drama that would come from the rumors would have made her laugh, but not now. What would happen if Chris decided to show up at the museum again? He had made clear his intentions clear when he'd shown up at her apartment this morning. At least, for today, Sarah thought she was safe but their conversation had only bought her a few days at most.

By the time Sarah's few days were up, it was likely that she would be gone. What would Chris think of that answer? It was unfair, perhaps, but then she felt that what he'd been asking of her was also unfair. Sarah wondered if she'd have felt that way if she'd been in love with him. She found herself going over that night again and again to find where it had gone wrong. That night; it had only been last night. Why then did it feel as though it had been days and not hours?

A sound of displeasure caused one of her co-workers to look up. "Is everything alright, Sarah? Are you sure you're feeling well? You never take days off so if you need to, you really should."

"It's the k through five learning schedule; there are a few errors I missed yesterday. I'm fine, really." Sarah replied, plastering a bright smile on her lips to reassure the woman.

The woman, whose name was Amy, pushed her chair back and came to look over the schedule that Sarah was talking about, "I think you're thinking about this too hard. They're little kids; they'll be happy to see dinosaurs and mammoths. It's the older kids whose schedules I agonize over."

"I know, but if we don't cultivate that passion at a young age, they might never find it. So how do I make dinosaurs and mammoths more exciting than just 'hey, kids, here's the bones! Ooh, ahh!'." Her laugh soft as she imagined the look of wonder on those tiny faces. "I know, at that age, it doesn't take much. I'm thinking too hard."

Amy laughed with her. "I told you that already. Move on, do one of the other schedules." She wandered back over to her desk to look over the portfolios there. "It could be worse; you could be dealing with the high school students. We get more damage from those tour classes."

"No, thanks, you can keep the older kids." Sarah retorted, laughing still.

It was true that the older groups were at times a bit difficult for the museum. Not every group left damage and she'd seen more than her fair share of polite students. The shame of it was the students who weren't polite and had no respect for the work and money that the museum spent. How could they? They had never had to do the work themselves.

Work; Sarah's mind drifted back to her conversation with Jareth. He had never answered the question of what Sarah could do while she was in the Underground. He had called the world two things; Underground and Labyrinth. For her part, Sarah thought that Labyrinth must be a kingdom in Underground. That meant that there might be more to the world than the Labyrinth itself. Would she get to explore it all? Did he want her to just stay in the Labyrinth?

There were more questions that didn't have answers. And in the end it had been her own fault that she'd not gotten an answer about what he wanted. Jareth had said he just wanted to be a guest and relax. She couldn't be a guest forever. What if Sarah decided to stay in the Labyrinth? What would she do then? Those questions made the temporary stay seem like the best option at the moment. She could go and learn about the Labyrinth and Underground, then decide if she wanted to stay.

Besides, by spending just a bit of time with Jareth maybe she would learn what type of jobs they needed. It was a good possibility that Jareth wasn't aware of what type of work was available. He was a king and kings didn't do menial labor. At least, the kings of Europe didn't do menial labor but they did a lot of charity work and had causes. That wasn't what Jareth was offering, was it? Did he have it in mind that she would stay and become his queen?

Oh, God that was what he had in mind. Sarah groaned and let her head drop in to her hand. He thought that if he could get her back to the Labyrinth she would decide to stay and become his queen. How was this any different than what Chris was asking her to do? She had turned him down so why lead Jareth on about the possibility.

"Because you want to," said a voice ringing out amid the shuffling of papers and clacking of keys in the office.

Sarah's eyes lifted, darting about for the source of the voice. Had Jareth decided to pop in? "W-what?" She stammered softly in reply.

"Did you say something, hon?" Amy's head lifted just enough that she could look over her laptop screen at Sarah.

"Stupid file gave me an error, I've got it now." Sarah waved a hand to brush the incident aside before turning back to her schedules. She'd actually managed to finish two pages. When had that happened? And better still, they looked correct.

Somehow knowing Jareth's endgame made the choices a bit easier to consider. It was simple; Jareth wished her to return to the Labyrinth and be his queen. What was not simple was how he was going about getting what he wanted. Before Jareth had demanded and manipulated Sarah's wants to get what he wanted. Now he was offering her options and alternatives. Had their encounter changed him so much?

Seven, almost eight, years had passed since that night. Toby had grown from a baby to a child; he was almost eleven now. He didn't remember what had happened and Sarah hoped he never would. She remembered enough for the both of them. Still, she had to wonder how long seven years had been to Jareth. Thirteen hours in the Labyrinth had only been a few hours in this world.

A piece of paper was ripped from her notebook and she began to scribble comparisons of time. If thirteen hours in Underground was four hours in her time, then every year of her time was three of their time. And that meant that Jareth had been stewing on this for the last twenty one years. Of course, he had magic and the ability to manipulate time was no doubt part of that. Sarah couldn't say for sure but if it had been twenty one years, then Jareth had had ample time to change or plot revenge.

"Well, damn." Sarah murmured.

That changed the simplicity of Jareth's endgame. Now Sarah had to question his motives. Did he only want a queen or was he looking for revenge? It would not be beneath Jareth to manipulate and play games with her emotions; he had done that before. And yet, when Sarah gazed in to his eyes there was a painful, honest sincerity in them. She could not dismiss the idea that Jareth might have her best interest at heart.

Love me, do as I say; I will be your slave.

Jareth had always gotten his own way until she had come along. At least, Sarah assumed that he had always gotten his own way. He didn't seem like the type of man that women told no. It must have come as a shock to him when this starry eyed little girl had done so. Sarah had managed to turn his world on end so the thought he might want revenge was not unbelievable. Could she judge him for that without knowing? For that matter, how could she trust anything he said as truth? More questions; every thought led to more questions and no closer to answers.

"If I pretend for a moment that it never happened, then what is the answer?" Sarah whispered. Her hand lifted to rub at her forehead a moment.

The answer was in the question, Sarah decided. He had done everything he'd thought necessary to secure her affections and at the end of it all she'd said no. The answer to the earlier question was that Sarah didn't know if he had been told no before. Jareth had reacted with disappointment and hurt but not revenge. He'd had plenty of time for revenge and had not used it. Why believe he would try now?

There would be time for Jareth to build trust with her but there was danger in going with him until then. If Sarah decided she was only going to Underground for a time, Jareth could refuse to return her. Her trust would have been misplaced and there would likely be no one to help her return home. That was a worst case scenario, of course. It was possible that Jareth would have no problems returning her. Wasn't he the one encouraging her to not burn bridges?

"Sarah...break time..." Amy snapped her fingers before Sarah's face and grinned as the woman snapped out of her thoughts. "Come on, I'll treat you. Coffee or tea?"

It was already half past three and everyone else would be going home soon. That was the downside of coming in late; Sarah would have to stay so that she could finish up her work and make up time. Of course, at this rate, she wasn't going to get anything finished. "Coffee. I'm going to need it. I'll probably be here all night." She groused, sliding her chair back and rising to join Amy at the door.

Amy flicked Sarah's shoulder and teased, "That's what you get for being lazy and laying about in bed."

"I promise I felt sick this morning." Sarah laughed.

A break would prove to be exactly what Sarah needed; time away from her computer filled with chatter. It kept her mind from wandering back to the problem at hand. There was idle chatter about upcoming programs or what shows were on television. They were joined by others from the museum who had wandered out to take an afternoon break. All in all, Sarah felt refreshed afterward and returned to finish her schedules.

For a time, that kept the doubts at bay and she was able to get most of her work done by six. She could come in early tomorrow and continue. Well, unless Jareth wanted to leave tonight. No, no he had suggested taking a few days to think about this. That seemed like a good idea and sound advice so at a quarter past six, Sarah was packing up her things. The subway was as crowded as ever and the walk up the flights of stairs to her apartment filled with a sense of dread.

At least this time it wasn't because Sarah thought that someone was following her. No, now she wondered what mischief the Goblin King had managed while left alone in her apartment. Would all her appliances still be there and in working order? She'd seen a movie once with a man out of time and how he'd reacted to new technology. She stifled a laugh before rounding the last flight of stairs and taking the door to her hallway.

"It'll be alright, Sarah. More than likely he can fix anything he broke with his magic." She murmured while smiling to herself. "Alright." A deep breath taken before her keys were fitted in the lock and the door opened.

"Jareth? I'm home."

Good, there were no burning smells or signs of damage outright. Sarah set her bag on the hall table and glanced in to the kitchen and then living room. Her heart began to sink in her chest and an ache formed in her stomach. Was he gone? That doubt that he had ever been there at all began to creep in to the back of her mind. He hadn't been here. It was all just a figment of her imagination.

"You kept it all." The voice startling her and Sarah turned to find Jareth standing in the doorway to 'The Room'.


	11. Distraction by Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 11/30/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: Any non-story updates will be posted in my Author's profile by date. So if you want to know why I haven't updated in a few weeks, or where I am with certain stories, check there. As I said in my last update, I've been very busy so I apologize for the late update.
> 
> Remember that this is Jareth's chapter, so it takes place at the same time as the last chapter; it will end with Sarah coming home as the last chapter did and Chapter 12 will pick up the forward motion of the timeline again.

  


* * *

**Chapter 11: Distraction by Realization**

* * *

  


Jareth felt relief that it had taken so little coaxing to get Sarah to leave. He had seen the side looks she'd given him as he'd fiddled with the television in the living room. She thought that he had little to no experience with the modern world. It was an understandable thought but one clouded by ignorance. He had spent the last hundred years or more coming and going in short hops to see how the world was evolving. Humans evolved in such a different way than his people and in a much shorter span of time. This might have had to do with how short human lives were but Jareth could not say that for certain.

He was of a long-lived people and would live on some centuries still. It bothered Jareth that he might outlive his beloved Sarah, but that was the way of the mortal races. Their lives were the quickest flicker of a candle and those left behind mourned the loss. He'd heard rumors over the years of ways to extend life expectancy but had never thought to look himself. His life was long enough without help. Perhaps it would be something to consider once he had convinced Sarah to stay. After all, he could not finally conquer her only to lose her in just a few short decades.

Conquer; now there was a peculiar word. Did he see bringing her in to his home and fold as a conquest? Try as Jareth might to justify his reactions with concern, he had to admit it might be revenge as well. He had reflected on her conquest of him these past few years with a certain amount of bitterness. After all, a mere slip of the girl defeating the Goblin King; it was unheard of. It was not only the defeat that bothered him but that she had rejected his advances. No one liked rejection and some people did not handle it well. Jareth was one of those people.

When he had first latched on to the idea of watching Sarah through her mirrors, it had been a passing amusement. Jareth thought that after her trip in to his realm she would never be satisfied with mortal live again. What better way to watch her dissatisfaction with life than through the mirrors? They were easy enough portals to open between worlds and he had used them to pass through at times. In this way, the mirrors of Sarah's apartments had become a sort of television for him. He could see what she was doing and watch her activities. And when the opportunity arose, Jareth would take full advantage so that he could rejoin her.

"Act now and you will receive not one, but two…"

The channel changed before the man in the advertisement could finish his spiel. Jareth shook his head and wondered exactly why someone would want two ceramic flat irons. His fingers played through his hair a moment before a smirk touched his lips. He could call and order one then inform the operator that no, he only needed one. This could turn in to a twenty minute argument which Jareth heard in his head.

But…I only need one. Surely you have something else to send me. I know, could you send me one of those chia pets? What do you mean you're not the same company? You're all As Seen on Television.

The idea was beyond amusing and Jareth considered it and then cancelling his order just to annoy the operator. It was not the vicious sort of mischief that he had done in the dark ages of this world, but it would do. One had to be willing to evolve one's style to keep up, or so Jareth told himself. In the end, he swept the idea aside in favor of exploring Sarah's apartment. The television left droning on in the living room in a dull sort of murmur while he inspected the kitchen.

The cupboards and drawers opened and inspected before Jareth moved on to the next. He found her favorite coffee cup in one and her favorite kitchen towel in another. All these items had little pieces of Sarah imprinted on them and as Jareth held them he could feel her. With eyes closed, he could picture Sarah leaning over the kitchen bar staring off in to the distance. Her coffee cup clasped between slender fingers while something bubbled on the stove. The image caused him heartache for some reason he did not understand. His hand pressed to that region of his chest to still it.

No, taking Sarah back to Underground, in particular to the Labyrinth, would not be a conquest. It was a rescue and he could not continue to lie to himself. There was nothing gained or won by taking her like this. No one would hail Jareth a hero for conquering a woman that the world had beaten down. As it was, the other Kingdoms were likely all laughing at him for losing to her in the first place. He had tried hard to keep that news from spreading far and wide, but goblins did like their gossip.

It had come up once at a court event Jareth attended in another kingdom. A lady made a passing comment to her lord whom Jareth overheard laughing at his expense. He had had the last laugh when the lord and lady returned home and found their children turned in to goblins. The hysterics the woman had fallen in to kept him laughing for years afterward. He could still hear her shrill screams echoing through their manor. In retrospect, that might be one of those stories that Jareth shouldn't tell Sarah. He might have overreacted a little bit. The woman had gotten her children back no worse for wear after a few weeks of groveling. That was a happy ending, right? No, it was definitely not a story to tell Sarah.

Jareth was by no means reformed from his wicked ways. There was no reforming him because mischief and magic were part of who he was. It was not an identity that he had picked up. No, he had been born this way. His used his magic for tricks and taunts. Wasn't that why he'd built the Labyrinth around his castle? It had been a boring kingdom before that. Now the lords and ladies had to conquer the Labyrinth just to come visit; it did keep out unwanted visitors. Of course, it also kept what few friends he had from visiting as well.

"It's not like the labyrinth is that hard to solve. I mean, really." Jareth murmured to no one in particular. His eyes rolled in an un-kingly gesture of exasperation. It didn't matter; there was no one here to see him do it.

He had moved on from the kitchen in to Sarah's bedroom to explore. The drawers opened in her vanity which only revealed more of those pills. It was an orange bottle with a white lid and a prescription written across the front of it. He gave the bottle a shake before dropping the pills back in to the drawer and closing it. "Useless. All the modern marvels in the world and they resort to herbal witch doctor-y to fix problems. They might as well have stayed in the dark ages."

Sarah had become conservative and boring in her twenties. Her clothes were all gone through and looked over. There were a few pieces that were lovely but most were drab school marm outfits in his opinion. He would dress her in bright colors and fill her world with light. Jareth's heart beat fast at the thought of Sarah surrounded by golden light and dressed in royal fare. Yes, he would dress her well when they returned to Underground and then show her off to his friends. No, that was wrong. That thinking was what had led him to calling this a conquest when it wasn't. He would offer her the option to dress well and be shown off to his friends. Yes, that would be much better.

Time passed in a different way here than in Underground. He had been gone many days from the Labyrinth already and should check in. If the goblins were left to their own devices for too long, he might not have a kingdom to go back to. There were a few among them trusted to carry out the tasks needed to keep the kingdom running. The door to Sarah's bedroom was closed and Jareth moved on to the other room in the hallway. It had a mirror in it that he used on occasion to watch her laying on the floor reading. The mirror was a small gilt hand mirror which would serve his purpose. His advisor would not be able to see where Jareth was in so small a surface.

The small surface would explain why Jareth had never noticed the contents of this room before. He had never stopped to look around at the pieces arranged on the shelves. There was no bed in the room which meant that Sarah expected no guests. Instead, arranged along the wall, were shelves of fairy tale books and dolls. Lancelot was not there because the bear was still with Toby, but he saw Didymus and Ludo. His fingers moved over the soft fur of the little knight before pulling at his cloth vest and feathered hat.

A music box caught Jareth's eye, tucked away in a corner though it began to tinkle its tune as he touched it. Slender fingers touched the gown the doll was wearing and he watched as she spun a quarter inch then stopped. He had not forgotten about that night at the masquerade ball and how he had used this music box to create it. Ludo and Didymus left forgotten as the music box was lifted and its key wound. Music drifted through the room while Jareth watched the doll turn her slow circle in the gazebo she stood on. It was not like him to drift so far in to his memories but for a moment he was dancing with her again.

The moment passed when the music stopped and Jareth returned the box to its shelf before moving on to the next. He touched items as he passed; Hoggle's book end, the wooden labyrinth game and the fiery doll just a few. Jareth found his world documented in the world of the mortals. It had always been this way because the mortals took bits and pieces and spun tales and stories for their young. When the young grew older, they cast off these tales and stories for fictions that their elders told. Some passed the stories on to their children while others forgot. Sarah had no children and a few hours ago Jareth would have said she'd forgotten. He could not say that now.

Everything was here just as he remembered it. All Sarah's dolls and toys preserving those little touches of innocence that she'd had. He could feel her here the same way he'd felt her on the coffee mug. These were Sarah's hopes and dreams; despite what he'd thought, Sarah had not let go of them. For the first time in many years, the Goblin King began to hope. If Sarah could hold fast to her dreams even as the world was draining them then Jareth could help her realize them. He just had to remind Sarah that her dreams were right here. Hope swelled in his chest and Jareth clung to it.

Jareth had no idea how long he had been in the little second bedroom. Time moved at its own pace and he was no slave to it. He took his time exploring this room and looking each shelf in detail. While there were some knick-knacks and pieces missing from the shelves, most of it was still there. He understood now why Sarah chose to read in this room rather than on the comfortable couch in the living room. If he spent much more time in the apartment, this is where Sarah would find him. This room with its hopes and dreams felt like home.

"Jareth? I'm home…"

Sarah's voice drew him out of his reverie. Had so many hours passed already? The books returned neatly to their shelves and the games put away. Jareth straightened the mess that he'd made and then stood and straightened his appearance. It would not do to let Sarah see him flustered. She was looking to him to be her guide and he understood now how important that was. She needed him to show her that dreams could be real. It was not about conquest or conquering; it was about truth. The truth, in this case, would set her free.

Jareth stood in the doorway of the little room and watched Sarah move about. She thought he was gone or had never been there. This saddened him as it was a reminder of the hardship he was now fighting against with her. With her, not against her, that was what was important. Jareth and Sarah were no longer fighting each other but would be fighting together.

He watched as her hands began to shake and shoulders to slump, before murmuring. "You kept it all."

And for once, he took no pleasure from the slight jump Sarah gave at his voice. It was not a conquest. It was a war. And they were on the same side now. He would not need to remind himself of this again. The last few hours of doubt on the subject swept away as Jareth came forward to take her hands. "Come, we have much to talk about."


	12. Ending the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 11/30/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: Two for one. I have free time on my hands today, so you get more than one chapter.

  


* * *

**Chapter 12: Ending the Beginning**

* * *

  
In less than forty-eight hours, Sarah's entire world had turned up on its end. There was little about the last two days that did not border on the fantastic. It had begun at dinner with Christopher and now ended with Jareth sitting on her couch. He had not even given Sarah time to change out of her work clothes. They needed to talk and not while either waited for the other to gather their courage. It was a necessary conversation. Sarah couldn't help but feel like they'd spent the last two days doing nothing but talking. He wanted her to come to the Labyrinth. She wanted to go to the Labyrinth. Christopher wanted her to stay here and be his wife.

That was the basic summary of the last two days in Sarah's mind. There was fear that Jareth had now changed his mind after digging through her belongings. Maybe he had decided that she was far too gone for him to help. Sarah's heart sunk at that thought. If Jareth couldn't help her, then it was likely that no one could. His hands had not left hers since they'd come to sit on the couch. Did he think he would soften the blow by maintain physical contact?

"I am not a good person." Jareth began. His voice was soft and his eyes averted so that she could not see what he was thinking. "I have done bad things to people for the sake of fun. Nothing deadly but pranks mostly. I always stopped before it went too far." And it had been mere luck that he had been able to always stop in time without killing anyone.

He needed Sarah to understand fully what life she would be facing in Underground. Sarah needed to know that he was not always good person and at times had a temper. His mean streak had gone unchecked for countless centuries and it would take time to break the habit. It was time that Jareth was uncertain Sarah would be willing to give him. Mortal lives were so short. He did not know if he could be patient and understanding should she want to leave him and pursue a different life. For her, Jareth would try, but he did not know if he would succeed.

"When the land was given to me to rule, it was little more than a few scant houses and a decaying wreck of a castle. I was young, eager to build my own kingdom. The goblins that lived there were glad to have guidance and organization, I think." He didn't know though because Jareth had always looked down on the goblins as lesser beings. It was the way of the highborn no matter what world they were on. Kings thought themselves better than peasants. "I built the labyrinth as entertainment. I would force people into the labyrinth and when they couldn't complete it, I made them serve me. Some I turned in to goblins and some I let stay as servants."

What had happened to his decision not to tell her some of the stories? No, Sarah had a right to know what kind of selfish being she would be companion to. There was that part of Jareth that said if he could fix Sarah then perhaps she could fix him. He wanted to please her. While he never thought he would move beyond his tricks, at least he could learn to do them without the cruelty. She would be his guide in that and Jareth would look to her eagerly. He would find relief for his boredom and she would find her lost dreams.

"The point is, Sarah, I'm not a good person at times. I can think of a hundred stories to tell you where I have done something cruel or vicious for fun." Jareth let his eyes lift to his face so that she could see him. "And I can't promise you I can stop. I can get better, I will get better, but this is who I am. I steal dreams and twist reality to suit me. I will not always be patient; I will not always be kind. I can learn and I will try for you, but there will be a part of me that is forever a…trickster. Is that what you want?"

Jareth was certain that it would break him if Sarah said no now. She had already rejected him once and if she did again he was not sure how he would react. And yet, he was willing to walk away if she said no. The point was to build her trust and let her see that he did want to help her. To do so, Sarah needed to have the full and truth from him. He had not always been a good person but for her he would at least try. For her, Jareth would rearrange the entire world. He had already done so once and a second time would be no hardship. He gazed in to Sarah's eyes and waited.

Sarah had always known that Jareth was not a good person. He had been the subject of many fantasies long before her experience in the Labyrinth. The Goblin King was a cruel and evil ruler who sent his goblins out to capture children so they could eat them. Or turn the children in to Goblins, as it turned out. It was in his nature to play tricks and be king. The question was whether Sarah thought it was in his nature to be cruel and tyrannical or not. Everyone had some good inside them. Jareth had returned Toby when she'd won the game. He didn't have to.

"You didn't have to…" Sarah murmured in wonder. Her eyes were on Jareth's as she squeezed his hands. "You didn't have to, you see." The words repeated as though he had the faintest clue what she'd been thinking.

Jareth's brow furrowed in confusion at her words and his reply came out stuttered. "N-no, I don't see."

"You didn't have to return Toby, Jareth. You were the Goblin King." Sarah's hands left his as she left the couch to stand before him. Her arms opened wide. "You owned the entire Labyrinth and its kingdom. You had minions to do your bidding and the whole world at your fingertips. You didn't have to return Toby even though I'd won. You could have just sent me home. Oh, they'd have locked me up in a nut house and think I'd killed my brother, but you could have let them do it. No one in your kingdom would have questioned it. But you didn't. "

A chagrinned look passed over Jareth's face. "Yes, and I'd rather you not let that get around, if you please. I'd be a laughing stock at court. Besides, babies don't make good goblins because they're almost goblins already. They drool, they stink…sometimes they bite."

Sarah chuckled at both his words and the look on his face. He had scrunched his nose up in such a way that it made him look almost a goblin himself. So Jareth still had his pride as far as his work and kingdom went but he did have good in him. Everyone had good in them. Sarah could spend a lifetime with Jareth tempering his good and bad habits and he tempering hers. She could also walk away and find someone else to spend the same sort of lifetime with. Either ways he would spend a lifetime with both good and bad. It was a fact of life and Jareth just happened to fall in to that grey area.

"My point is…that yes, you can be cruel. You chose not to be and you're choosing not to be at the moment. At least, I hope you are." Sarah's voice lowered as she said the last bit. She settled on the couch beside him and folded her hands in her lap. "I knew all this when you first came, you know. I knew you were cruel and you had most likely done bad things. You turn children in to goblins, Jareth. That doesn't exactly win you father of the year award."

Though, now Sarah had some doubt about whether Jareth had ever actually done that . It could have been a ruse for the game they were playing. Where did Goblins come from? Jareth had spoken as though the goblins had always been a part of his kingdom, even before it was a kingdom. It did not matter at the moment as it had no bearing on the conversation at hand. No, they needed to talk because Sarah needed to tell Jareth the decision she'd come to. He needed to know what she'd decided.

"I put my notice in today. I kept trying to do schedules all day but I ended up, when I was alone this afternoon, writing my resignation. Even if I do decide not to come back, I don't want to just leave like that. It's not fair to the people who do care about me." She murmured this to him and did not make eye contact. "I want to go with you, Jareth. I am going with you. I have phone calls and arrangements to make before I do. It's going to take a few days. So if you need to go back to your castle then you should, because I have to put my life in order."

The apartment needed packing up and phone calls needed to be made. She would have to make excuses to Carin and her father about where she was going. There was so much to think of. It was a brash idea to think she could just pack her clothes and leave, but she couldn't. Sarah had a life that she had to wrap up and close the doors on.

"We've reached the end of what ifs and could bes, you see. I realized that no matter how fast this seems to be happening, it's right. I feel right about this." Sarah glanced up at him then and found him gazing at her in something like awe. Twice now she had surprised him. He hadn't thought she would go with him despite her saying so.

Jareth took her hands in his, squeezing lightly. "The items most important to you will go with you. It is no matter to bring items across. So pack what you want and I will see that it arrives."

And that, as they say, was that. Jareth would help her take what she wanted to take to his home and Sarah would close up the remaining parts of her life. It would not be the easy, of course, they both knew it. She would most likely spend the next few weeks plagued with doubts. A faint frown lined her lips at that thought which caused her to also squeeze his hands lightly with her own. Would she forget her promise to him once he was gone? For that matter, he hadn't said anything about going home at all. Was he going to stay?

"I'm afraid, Jareth." Sarah's voice was just above a whisper. "I'm afraid you'll leave and I'll forget that you were real. You are real, aren't you? This isn't a dream?" It didn't feel like a dream but then Sarah let the doubt begin to cloud her thoughts again.

He squeezed her hands in return. "I'm as real as you are and more so because I'm me. If I have to leave, it won't be for more than a day. I'll do it while you're at work so you'll hardly miss me."

One moment Sarah was so strong and beautiful, the next so broken and lost. Jareth was uncertain he could ever repair all the damage that this world had done. He would try and she would at least get better, but there would always be scars. He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them both before letting go. She did a good job at pretending to be alright when there were others to see but not in front of him. He could see what Sarah didn't want him to.

"Is two weeks too long?" She asked, rising from the couch with the thought of dinner in mind.

"Not if you can manage your affairs in that time, no. I can come and go."

Jareth sounded distracted, his mind wandering elsewhere. At last, the object of his distraction became clear. The television was still on and muted from earlier. Why hadn't they turned it off? It was a commercial for a local restaurant that had caught his attention. If he took Sarah out for dinner and people saw them together, it might help her accept that he was real. And if he showed up to her job to have lunch with her, her co-workers would see him. Sarah would have to face the fact that he was real. Perhaps having that reality shown to her would settle her fears. He would do anything to ease the passage of the next two weeks for her.

"Jareth?"

He startled, realizing that she'd been trying to get his attention for several minutes. "Forgive me, a thought occurred." He tapped his lips with one finger before looking to Sarah. "Tomorrow, if you feel up for it, would you like to go out to dinner?"

It was Sarah's turn to be speechless now. Had Jareth just asked her out on a date? She turned his words over in her mind for a moment. He wanted to go out to dinner with her, tomorrow night. There was a catch, wasn't there? There was always a catch when it came to him. Except, a voice reminded her, she'd yet to find a catch so far. He was asking for nothing in return at the moment.

"Well…yes. Yes, I would like that but would you? There aren't castles and carriages here." Sarah reminded him, trying to be gentle with his feelings.

Jareth laughed outright at that. "Sarah, I've been in and out of the mortal world for a long time now. Since long before you were born. I will have to make an exchange of money, but it shouldn't be a problem. It's why returning you here would be no burden if you wished it." Though he hoped she didn't wish it; he wanted her to stay with him.

"You're not going to wine and dine me that easily, Jareth." Her finger shaken at him as though he were a child needing discipline. "I'm going with you as your friend, to your home."

"Of course not, my plan is to show you that I'm real. What better way to do it than for you to be seen with me? You will see me speak to the waiters and waitresses, talk to people outside of this apartment." Jareth had stood from his seat and now leaned close, his hand taking hers and lifting it to his lips. "Wining and dining will come later, when you're more settled. I might even get flowers."

The man was incorrigible. And yet, his words gave Sarah a surge of hope. He was willing to go in to public with her and be seen. He was willing to show her that he was a real person and set her fears aside. Not set them aside, but actually soothe them and show her that they were unfounded. Would Christopher have done that for her? She would never know.

"Alright, it's a date."


	13. An Interloping Interloper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 12/1/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: I keep telling myself that the story is almost done, but it keeps going. I reach the end of a chapter but I can feel it's not the end. I started writing this chapter intending on it being about their date but Christopher came to mind. I hadn't really tied up his story. As always, all non-story updates will be in my author's profile.

  


* * *

**Chapter 13: An Interloping Interloper**

* * *

  
It was unlike Jareth to disregard the potential for a problem to crop up. He liked working out each outcome so that there was little surprise in his day to day dealings with others. It was perhaps odd behavior for a man who liked trickery, but necessary for his own mental wellbeing. He found that if he spent a bit of time considering the reactions of his subjects that he had fewer headaches. The goblins were forever stumbling in to places they should not be and disrupting his plans. It was just easier to plan for every variable that his mind could think of.

This particular possibility had been discarded as impossible. Jareth was now beginning to think that it was a mistake to have done so. The problem was the young man sitting outside of the offices Sarah worked in. His hands were clasping the edge of the wooden bench and a bundle of flowers lay by his leg waiting to be presented. Anyone but Jareth might take pity on him given the situation but this was Jareth. Had the man not gotten the message the first time Sarah told him no?

Jareth felt exasperation building. It was the same exasperation he felt when dealing with his less intelligent subjects. Christopher was persistent in the face of continued rejection. Persistence, while admirable, was a problem what with Sarah's decision the night before. She had committed to tying her life up in this world and coming to live in his. It was unlike Jareth to doubt but the last time he'd made so grave a miscalculation, Sarah had gotten away.

No, he would not continue to underestimate this man as he'd done in the beginning. It was safe to assume that Christopher intended to continue his pursuit of Sarah. There were only a few possibilities for stopping him. One was for Jareth to make Christopher think Sarah had moved on and the other was to take her to Underground. The latter would be happening in short order. No, the question was what to do in the meantime?

If the pursuit were to continue, Sarah might change her mind about going with him to Underground. That pain Jareth had been having in his chest since arriving throbbed at that thought. Sarah had to go home with him. He was so close to achieving his goal and this one mortal was now threatening to bring it all crashing down. It would not do. He would not allow this. The mortal had to go.

"Christopher, isn't it?" Jareth called out to the man as he came up the hallway toward the offices. "You must be here to see Sarah. I was coming to pick her up for lunch." His hand held out for the man to shake if he wanted to

Christopher's head jerked upward at Jareth's voice and he rose. "Oh, yeah, Jason, wasn't it? Sarah's good friend from home." He took the offered hand and gave it a hard squeeze and firm shake before releasing.

"Jared, actually," He offered with a smile, "but we were barely introduced. " Jareth tried hard not to roll his eyes. He had little doubt that the man had gotten his name wrong on purpose. Did Christopher think that annoyance and posturing would send him away? No one could posture like a Goblin King could.

An awkward silence fell between the men as each struggled for something more to say. Jareth was enjoying watching Christopher fidget as he stood there. He should take pity on the man and further the conversation but it was just too much fun not to. The door to the office opened which distracted both men. They looked to see if Sarah would come out only to be disappointed. He tucked his hands in his pockets and took a seat on the bench opposite from where Christopher sat. The man took it as his cue to sit as well.

"So," Christopher cleared his throat before continuing. "You said you were taking Sarah out to lunch. I didn't know you were staying long in town. I was …that is, I thought it was just an overnight trip."

"Sarah convinced me that I needed to stay and see the sights." Jareth answered. His lips curled upward at the outward signs of the man's discomfort. "That and I'm trying to convince her to come with me on an education outreach trip. Schools for disadvantaged children, you know…Africa, rural China." Goblins, his mind supplied.

Christopher frowned at that. "Don't you think that's dangerous? There's some kind of rebellion going on in Africa and the war in the Middle East."

"There's always a rebellion or a war going on somewhere. We can't stop living because of it. Sarah's skill as a teacher would be of much use." Jareth responded. He shrugged as though brushing off the danger of his suggestion. "Besides, better that than her wasting her skill." He paused at this, letting the words sink in. "At the museum, I mean, of course. The likelihood of someone dying and Sarah managing to move up is slim. This is something she can do immediately."

The lies fell from Jareth's lips with ease though he mused that the thought had some merit. There were few teachers in his world because education was generally undertaken by family. Sarah could change it all. Of course, what would he do with smart goblins? They would make even more of a mess than they made now and on a larger scale. Still, she had asked him for an occupation in Underground at the start of this. He mulled over the idea.

With help, Sarah could bring an education system like the one the mortals used. If it worked, he would have a better labor force and it would expand. They would need teachers to educate the students which meant providing jobs. Actually, it sounded like a headache, but if she only started with his kingdom then it would not be so bad. It wasn't like he would suggest she educate all Underground, just the Labyrinth denizens. Jareth weighed education his subjects against the possibility of revolt. As long as Sarah was happy, he wouldn't mind not being king. He'd grown bored of it.

"Jaret…d, Christopher. What are you doing here?"

Sarah's voice brought Jareth out of his thoughts. He'd spent the last several minutes oblivious to the stare Christopher was giving him. The man's eyes were now turned on Sarah whom he'd risen to meet. At least the dolt had forgotten the flowers lying on the bench; a waggle of Jareth's fingers made them wilt a bit. He let his lips curl in to a bright smile and rose to greet her.

"I came to see if you wanted to have lunch. Your friend," Jareth emphasized that word, "seems to have beaten me to it."

Christopher was smirking. He had no idea how dangerous it was to be arrogant around a man some would say was the master of arrogance. Well, that could not go unpunished, Jareth decided. He would show this man what true arrogance looked like. That tiny voice in the back of Jareth's head which he often disregarded chimed in. It said that he should be careful because Sarah might be upset. She hadn't just stopped feeling for Christopher because their relationship had ended. It was all over Sarah's face how much seeing the man hurt her.

"I see." Sarah glanced to Christopher who had yet to say anything. The smirk faded from his lips as soon as her eyes were upon him.

"Ah, I," Christopher turned and scooped up the flowers before thrusting them at Sarah. "Here, I got you these. I was hoping…well, would you have lunch with me? Maybe we could talk…"

Sarah breathed out a long suffering sigh. "I told you yesterday, I need time." Well, except that she didn't need time because she'd made her choice. "And to be honest, the answer is a firm no. I'd like to tell you that I'll think about it more, but I don't want to. It doesn't feel right."

Alright, Jareth could admit that he was enjoying the pain the man was going through. He deserved it for continuing to show up where he wasn't wanted. This was the second time in two days he'd been told to go away. If he were truthful, Jareth expected Christopher would need reminding before it was over. The man seemed hard headed that way. It was an admirable trait sometimes, but irritating at others.

"So, that's a no?" Christopher asked.

There was something in Christopher's tone that Jareth didn't like. It was the intensity beneath the words that made goose flesh rise on his arms in warning. He'd heard men speak to women like that before. That superiority was not as distant a relic of the past as many people might hope. There were still men who wished to force their will on others. Jareth could not say that he was any better in retrospect of his and Sarah's first meeting. Yet, he had known to let her go while Christopher did not. Jareth's fist clenched as the air about them grew tense.

Sarah acknowledged him with a frown. "Yes, that would be a no."

"After everything, that's the only answer you have for me? No?" Christopher asked, disbelieving. "We've been together almost a year, Sarah. I've been with you through your depressions, through your self-doubts. I've put up with you working long hours and forgetting our dates because of it. And now, I do you a favor asking you to marry me, taking care of you and you say no?" The volume of his voice rose with each word.

"A favor," Sarah murmured, shocked. "Is that what you were doing, Christopher? You were doing me a favor because no one else wants me? Is that what you think?" The color had drained from her face at his declaration. "Well you can keep your favor. I don't need it." Sarah was turning away from Christopher when he grabbed her arm and yanked her back. His grip was painful and she twisted to get away from it.

"You think with all your problems, that anyone else would want you?" Christopher's face was mere inches from Sarah's. "Don't think I don't know about those pills you take. And all those dolls and toys you dote over in your guest room? I mean, my God, Sarah, what's wrong with you?" He gave her a little shake as though that would bring her to her senses. "I have done everything for you this last year. All of it just to make you feel safe and secure when what I really wanted to do was give you a good, hard slap."

Sarah, beware. I have been generous up 'til now. I can be cruel. Jareth's own words rose in his mind and he tasted bile in his throat. Was this how he'd sounded to Sarah all those years ago? When the red haze that had covered his vision cleared, Jareth had Christopher by the front of his shirt. The man was standing at an uncomfortable angle pressed against the wall over the bench. Jareth could hear Sarah calling his name and tugging at his arm to free Christopher, but he did not let go. His teeth bared in anger. He could rip this man apart with just a twist of his fingers. It would be the most satisfying display Jareth had watched in some time.

"Jareth, stop!" Sarah called out frantically. Her fingers dug in to the shirt Jareth was wearing as she tried to pull him away. "He's not worth it, Jareth. He's not. Please! Remember what I said yesterday, about not being a bad person."

He was a bad person. That was what Jareth had tried to tell Sarah the day before. He did not always do good things and often chose trickery instead. She was asking him to be good, or at least neutral, and let this go. Jareth wasn't sure he could do that. He wanted to hurt this man as he had never wanted to hurt another. That pain which had been growing in his chest was worse now than it had been. She was killing him with these feelings. His hands unknotted from Christopher's shirt and he took a step back. Sarah's hand never let his arm as she guided him a few steps away.

Christopher slid down the wall to sit on the bench staring up at the two of them. He did not move. There had been something in Jareth's eyes; it was there still and promised retribution. If it had been any other man, Christopher would have come up swinging but not this time. This time he would take what remained of his shredded pride and go. The flowers left lying on the bench as he pushed up and moved away down the hall. People had stepped out of their offices to see what was happening.

"I'm sorry." Jareth's voice had a tremor to it. He turned toward Sarah and lifted one hand to touch her arm where Christopher had grabbed. "Are you alright?" He hadn't used magic. It had always been his first instinct to use his magic, but he hadn't. He'd resorted to physical violence. He'd reacted instead of thinking and weighing his options.

Sarah's eyes moved up and down the hallway taking in their audience. "Yes. We should go." She whispered, giving him a gentle push in the opposite direction from Christopher. "I'm parked over here. Let's go get lunch."

Jareth's hand clasped Sarah's on his arm because he could feel it trembling. All he wanted to do was sooth her fear and worry. Without another word, he let Sarah lead them toward the exit to get to her car. She stopped only long enough to get her purse and car keys before guiding him the rest of the way out. Shouldn't he be guiding her? Men were always supposed to be the rock and pillar. Jareth felt exhausted instead.

"Do…we still have a date later?" Jareth asked, expecting the answer to be no.

She patted his arm and led him out to her car, unlocking it so that they could both get in. For a moment, they sat in silence letting the emotional drain of what had happened ease a bit. Her heart was pounding and she could hear the blood rushing through her ears. One moment Christopher had been yelling at her and the next Jareth had been on him. Sarah had stood there a moment not sure what she was seeing. The Goblin King, who was dressed as any other modern man, had attacked her ex-boyfriend. She'd never seen Jareth so livid.

Sarah glanced over at him, before murmuring, "Yes, we have a date later." Her seatbelt pulled on before she started the car and began to back them out of the space. "Thanks, Jareth…for defending me. I'm not sure I deserved it. What he said was true…you said the same thing once. Maybe I just take people for granted."

Jareth's hand covered hers on the steering wheel which caused Sarah to stop the car. At least the parking lot was empty, as they were now hanging half out of their parking space. His eyes were on her face as he searched for some sign of something. She had no idea what he was hoping to see or looking for. At last, that hand left hers so that he could touch her cheek and lean in to press a soft kiss to Sarah's lips. It was startling but also over before she could react.

"He was wrong. I was wrong." Jareth murmured before he let go and sat back in his seat.

She swallowed hard and tried to search Jareth's face at his words. He would not look at her but instead stared out the window. After a moment, she composed herself and finished backing out of the space. There was a deli a few blocks away that they could go to. That's where they would go for lunch. And maybe, while they were eating, the two of them could sort this out. Her world was tipping on its end again.


	14. Beginning the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 12/4/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: Chapter 14 aka my attempt to start wrapping it up. The prologue is gone; I deleted it. It probably won't be coming back. It may become a one-shot standalone.

  


* * *

**Chapter 14: Beginning the End**

* * *

  


Sarah and Jareth managed to have a quiet lunch together. She took him to a deli a few blocks over and they'd ordered sandwiches. The deli was too crowded to sit and eat in so Sarah took him across the street to a small park. There were plenty of benches and the sun was shining warm through the trees. For a good part of their time together, both sat in silence not wanting to discuss what had happened. She was unsure what the kiss in the car meant and Jareth wasn't sure why he resorted to physical violence. It had been a knee-jerk reaction to seeing Christopher grab at Sarah's arm. 

"Was it the first time?" Jareth asked, breaking the silence between them. He glanced at his companion to see how she reacted before looking away. 

Sarah's head bobbed in an affirmative nod. "He never lifted a hand to me but I can remember little comments he would make." She sighed at the memory. "I guess I just brushed it off as his personality. It never entered my mind that he might get violent." Why would it have entered her mind? 

They were silent again. Neither of them wanted to have this conversation. What would Jareth have done if he'd found out that Christopher had been violent before? Sarah did not want to know the answer to that question. She thought back to the confrontation in the hallway and how Jareth's face had turned red. One moment Christopher had been giving her a rough shake and then she'd been roughly shoved aside. Jareth had taken her place and was holding the man against the wall. He'd curled both fists in to Christopher's shirt and bared his teeth like some wild animal. 

What startled Sarah most was that despite how red Jareth's face was, he was so still and silent. He had said nothing to Christopher; he had not threatened him or told him to stop. The goblin king had held him against that wall so hard that Christopher could not get away. Did Jareth know that Christopher had been struggling against him? Had he even been aware of where he was or what was going on? She had always expected that if the need arose Jareth would use magic to solve his problems. It had been a surprise when he hadn't. 

There was fear. Sarah feared what would happen if Jareth ever turned that boiling temper on her. She wasn't sure if it made it worse or better to see the confusion on his face afterward. It was almost as though Jareth had no idea why he'd done it. She turned her head as though watching a passerby to get a better look at Jareth. He hunched over the wrappings for his sandwich, one elbow resting on his knee as he stared across the park. It looked as though he were trying to solve a problem of his own. 

"You didn't use magic." She murmured. The paper crinkled as her sandwich remains were wrapped up. She busied herself with it so that she didn't have to look at him. 

Jareth did not answer her for many long moments. No, he had not used magic. Why? He had always used magic for everything. There was no reason to do physical work of any kind when he had magic that could do it for him. His exercise came from other activities which were more enjoyable; horseback riding for one. The only answer was that it was because of Sarah. He had seen the man shaking her and had reacted to it. Whether that was good or bad remained to be seen, but Jareth puzzled over it. No one had ever made him resort to physical violence before. That pain in the region of his heart began to throb again. 

He finally answered, "No." Jareth shifted to look at Sarah, studying her in the sunlight. "I saw him shaking you and I reacted. It's strange; my first reaction has always been to cast a spell." 

"But not this time?" 

Jareth's head moved in affirmation. "I hope you can forgive me. I didn't mean to make a scene. Well, a worse scene…" The sandwich on his lap forgotten as Jareth resumed staring across the park. 

Sarah frowned a moment before her frown turned to a smile and then a soft chuckle. "You got what you wanted though. I don't think anyone can deny that you're real. I can't. You should have heard what Amy had to say when I got my keys. She thinks blond hair is hot. And long blond hair…she was fanning herself." 

"I'm taken." Jareth's smile could be heard as he spoke though he would not meet her eyes. "I think after you go back to work, I'll take a walk. Don't worry; I'll still be at the apartment at six. You said we still have a date later. And despite your new found belief, I think I still need to prove I'm real." 

Her wrist turned upward so that she could see the watch on it. She would have to go back soon. There was a brief moment of panic at the idea of the Goblin King wandering around unchaperoned. He had a knack for finding mischief, and though Sarah understood that it was who he was, she worried. Well, he was not one of the children from the museum who needed to be babysat all the time. If Jareth wanted to walk around the city, then she was in no position to stop him. 

She sighed, "I should be getting back. There are going to be questions." Not that Sarah worried about losing her job since she'd turned in her notice. 

"Go on; don't be late on my account." 

Sarah finished cleaning up the remnants of her lunch before stooping to take his hand and squeeze it. For a moment he lifted his eyes to her face and offered a light smile, squeezing her hand in return. Everything was going to be alright in one way or another. She had not recoiled at his physical assault on Christopher or the brief kiss in the car afterward. At least there was some little bit of hope that Sarah might someday forgive him his faults. Could he forgive himself? She left him sitting there in the warm sunlight to ponder this. 

The man's words to Sarah echoed through Jareth's brain on repeat. He could not forgive himself for having once said the same to her. It had been almost seven years since Sarah's run through the Labyrinth. She was the first in all his years to have ever defeated him. Oh, he had sent many people through as a test of skill and they had defeated it, but never faced or defeated him. There were a few that had suffered injury and then others who had just been punished. In the end, those who had wished their children away only sometimes got them back. Sarah had been the only one to face and defeat him. He had offered her everything and she had turned away. 

"They should never bend to our will because we want them to, but because they want to." He murmured aloud before pushing up from the bench to leave it. "You were selfish." 

Jareth thought about finding Christopher and punishing him further. It would not be a good act but how many times must he repeat that he was not good. And this would be for a good cause, so that the man couldn't hurt anyone else. He would at some point, Jareth thought. Sarah couldn't be upset with him for at least teaching the man a little lesson, could she? He paused by a fountain in the park and gazed down at his reflection in it. 

"Are you there? I have a little job for you," Jareth murmured, "I want you to find him and send him on a trip through the Labyrinth. Make sure he comes back in one piece, no bites taken out, do you hear me?" 

The faint tittering of goblins echoed through Jareth's head and his lips curled in to a smirk. It wasn't as though Sarah would be seeing Christopher again. And if the man happened to learn that he shouldn't be cruel to others, then it was worth the headache if she did find out. He let the smirk fade and turned away from the fountain to head further in to the city. There were a few hours before he had to be back at Sarah's apartment and those would be used well. He would be prepared for their date tonight. 

Sarah came home several hours later to get ready. She was glad to have the apartment to herself when she arrived though there was a faint flutter of doubt. There was always a flutter of doubt when it came to Jareth but that would lessen over time. He was, at least, doing exactly what he'd promised to do when this had begun; earning her trust. If he kept doing as he was now, Sarah had no doubt that in time she would forget her doubts and fears. They were useless in the face of his actions. 

There had been plenty of gossip at the museum about the men who had been arguing in the hallway. And Sarah had fielded more than a few questions about where she'd met the blond gentleman. She was grateful that he had at least shown up in jeans and a button up rather than his normal vest and pants. That would have taken some explaining which Sarah wasn't sure that she would be up to. It was still more normal than other things people might wear. She'd seen someone in a bunny suit walking down 43rd once. At least Jareth's dress could be explained away as him being part of a theatre group. 

Jareth had not mentioned where they were going to dinner so Sarah wasn't sure how to dress. She settled on an outfit casual enough to not look out of place in most cafes but dressy enough for a restaurant. He had said six and she felt sure that the Goblin King was nothing if not punctual. Or if not punctual, he would be fashionably late which meant no later than six fifteen. It would do no good to disappoint him by not being ready to go. 

It seemed that Sarah wasn't the only person who had doubts. There'd been an odd tone to Jareth's voice when he'd asked if they still had a date that night. He had expected her to be horrified and turn him away. How could she? He might have saved her from far worse than a few bruises on her arm. Yes, there had been other people in the museum. Sarah couldn't help but remember that none of them had tried to intervene. It was a huge problem with the world today. People tended to turn a blind eye to problems that weren't theirs. She hated to think that any of her co-workers would have just let her be roughed up like that. 

The knock on the door startled her and Sarah glanced at the time. It was a quarter to six which meant that Jareth was here early. At least, Sarah hoped it was Jareth. Doubt clouded her mind and she crept close to the door so that she could look out the peephole. Christopher would not stop by so soon after their argument; even he was not the brazen. She peered out the peephole and then smiled before turning the locks and tugging the door open. 

"You could have come in." 

Jareth was standing on the threshold with a small bouquet of flowers in his hand. It was an old fashioned notion but he did like to keep to tradition. The jeans and button up of earlier were replaced with pressed slacks and a polo shirt. It set her mind at ease to see that she'd chosen her own outfit well. He offered the flowers over to her before coming in and closing the door. 

"I'm supposed to be picking you up." Jareth chided. "The date doesn't just walk right in if he's not a resident…" 

She could not help the roll of her eyes at him. And yet, the old fashioned sense and manners made her heart swell a bit. Wasn't this exactly what she'd been looking for? She wanted to be a princess when she was a child. That idea hadn't gone away when she'd gotten older. What if something more bloomed between them? They were going to be together a lot in the Labyrinth and would get to know one another. Sarah might find that she liked him a great deal. He was already much different than she thought he'd be. 

"When you put it that way…" 

His lips curled upward in to a smile and Jareth swept forward in a low bow. If he'd had a hat, Sarah was sure he'd have tipped it at her. His hair went dancing in every direction as he came up out of the bow, tangling around his neck and shirt collar. She laughed at the spectacle he made and stepped forward to help straighten his clothes. Her gentle fingers plucked at the long strands of hair to push them back behind slender shoulders. 

"You're incorrigible, you know that?" She teased, finishing her work with his hair. 

That devilish gleam returned to Jareth's eyes as he quipped back, "En-courageable." He stepped forward to take her hands and spin her in a circle. "And you, my dear, may encourage me at any time." When she came to a stop before him, Jareth smiled. "Lovely." 

Time halted as Sarah gazed in to his eyes and lost herself. He thought that she looked lovely and that brought a flush to her cheeks. At last she broke eye contact, looking down at where his hands held hers and gave a gentle squeeze. "We should go. Well…that is, we should go if we're going to be late." 

"There's time." Jareth murmured. His hands squeezed hers in return. "Nothing but time." 

One of his hands lifted to settle behind her and cup the back of Sarah's head. It only took a gentle press forward to bring their lips together. Where once there had been a struggle between them, now there was a dance. It was far more elegant than Sarah thought she should be capable of. He was the one leading this dance. The years had given her perspective but the last few days had given her the time she needed. Her hand touched the front of his shirt and tugged to draw him closer. 

She broke the kiss, eyes lifting to his face as she spoke. "I'm still broken." 

"I don't care," he answered. "We have time." 

Sarah's lips turned upward and she inclined her head in agreement. There was no need to rush. She was still broken but he was willing to give her a bit of time. His hands squeezed hers before Jareth let her go and stepped back. It left a void that Sarah had not felt before and she found she did not like it. Her hand came up to grasp his arm and draw him back to her. Jareth only smiled in return and shook his head. 

"I was going to get you a coat. It's gotten a little chilly out." He sounded amused by her refusal to let him get away. 

She flushed bright red. "Oh. Front closet." 

A soft chuckle escaped him as Jareth stepped around her and she could hear the closet open and the swish of fabric. They had time. That thought echoing through her mind. It was a good thought. He wasn't planning to rush her recovery or ask for anything more than they had. In time, maybe, he would ask for more. She knew that he wanted more. They would both cross that bridge when they came to it, together or apart. 

“I had to call a taxi. I don't drive, as you've guessed." There was a playful snap of Jareth's fingers to illustrate his point before he helped her slip the coat on. "Come." His arm offered so that they could go. 

"You never did say where we were going." 

Jareth's smile widened as he patted her arm. "Patience is a virtue." 

Their voices faded down the hallway after the apartment had been locked and closed. The old woman who peered out her apartment door to catch a glimpse smiled. It was nice that the young girl across the hall had found such a charming young gentleman. And never mind that her nosey neighbors would be gossiping about it come tomorrow.


	15. Bits and Pieces of Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 12/10/2015
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
> A/N: I am moving over the date. It went well. I’ve said several times that it’s not what this story is about; it’s not. Yes, I linger on bits of their relationship that I feel are important. This picks up about a week after Jareth told the goblins to take Christopher.

  


* * *

**Chapter 15: Bits and Pieces of Truth**

* * *

  
If anyone noticed the man crouched against the brick wall of the alley then no one reported him. He muttered to himself and stared at the crowds passing back and forth along the sidewalk. Now and then his eyes fixated on someone or something in the distance and he drew himself back in to the shadows to hide. The outfit he wore was shabby and had seen better days; his shoes were worn through at the heel. The man who observed this smiled; a feral upturning of lips which showed the sharp points of his eye teeth. One waggle of his fingers had the man shifting through the shadows to appear before the vagrant and gaze down at him. 

“Hello, Christopher,” Jareth murmured. The smile never faded from his lips. 

He reveled in the cringe that Christopher gave and the way the man pressed against the brick wall. Christopher’s head wobbled back and forth looking for any means of escape. There was none as Jareth blocked the only way in to the alley. This creature had him trapped here. His grubby hands lifted to shield his head and face as Jareth crouched before him, tossing his coat tails behind his tall form. How Jareth wallowed in the fear and confusion that twisted the man’s face. 

“Did you enjoy my labyrinth?” Jareth’s gloved finger drew circles on the filthy pavement as he spoke in a soft, low tone. “My goblins enjoyed your company. I quite think that they would like to have you back, hmm?” 

Tipping his head back, he looked Christopher in the eye. The man was shaking his head and babbling incoherently. It was undoubtedly a great, resounding ‘no’ to going back. He had seen others take their time solving the labyrinth but never one who had taken a full week to do so. What was that almost three weeks in Underground time? Never mind that Jareth could move time forward or back; that had to be a record of some kind. 

With his smile widening as he spoke, Jareth continued. “In case it’s not clear to you, Sarah belongs to me. Sarah has always belonged to me.” He leaned forward toward Christopher and let his gaze harden. “I doubt you’ve learned your lesson. Men like you forget easily enough. If you haven’t, though, next time it won’t be a trip through the labyrinth.” 

The smell of urine permeated the area and Jareth wrinkled his nose in distaste as he stood. His frock coat smoothed with just the brush of gloved hands before he looked down at Christopher again. How pathetic. It was always funny to him how brave and fearless mortals were until they were faced with something they didn’t understand. All of their fear and doubt would suddenly come rushing to the surface and produce amusing results. Sadly, Christopher was not the most amusing result Jareth had ever seen come out of the labyrinth. 

“Oh, have some respect for yourself, man. There were just a few goblins, fairies and other creatures. You act like you saw the apocalypse.” Jareth’s hand pressed to the wall above Christopher’s head so that he could lean closer, his voice lowering. “I have to go because Sarah is waiting but I’ll be watching. Don’t slip up.” 

Pushing up, he turned to leave the alley and the man in it in peace. Well, as much peace as Christopher could get. The man was left sitting in a puddle of his own fluids jabbering on about goblins and castles. He might snap out of it in a few days or he might not. Jareth didn’t care either way. He passed through the shadows at the mouth of the alley and came out on the street again dressed like any other modern man. There was no point in making a spectacle after all. The alley fell quiet as he passed out of sigh around the corner leaving the man cowering against the side wall. 

Sarah was finishing up the last of her errands. The decision to leave no longer weighed as heavily on her as when she’d first accepted the offer. Each day that went by made the decision look better and the weight of doubt began to lift from her. It was strange how the act of packing up her possessions could reveal so many gaping holes in her life. At least now, Sarah admitted to herself now that there were pieces missing. She hoped that finding those pieces would help heal a bit of her soul. And now she thought she knew who one of those missing pieces was. 

He had been showing his affection in a variety of ways. Sarah had come to expect a certain amount of flourish and flamboyance from the goblin king; he now impressed her with small gestures. There were gentle touches to her hand or a soft kiss to her lips but never a demand or a push to go further than she wanted. If she wanted to order out, Jareth insisted that they eat out instead. He spent time making certain that she knew the world could see him. She was not insane and he was not a figment of her imagination. 

There had also been gifts. For example, on Tuesday she’d come home from work to find a new leather bound journal embossed with a seal on it. Jareth had explained that the seal was the symbol of his kingdom and he thought that she might like to write her thoughts down. This would be a good coping method to get through the dark and light of what was to come. He had also finally suggested an occupation for Sarah while she stayed in his kingdom. The goblins needed someone to teach them about Overland, Sarah’s world, and since she’d done so well with the groups at the museum, it would be a good fit. 

Everything was slowly falling in to place for her journey to Underground. There were questions which Jareth refused to answer at times. Where were Ludo, Hoggle and Didymus? Did the labyrinth look the same as it had before? Were there other kingdoms to visit in Underground? She wondered if Jareth had done something to her friends and was afraid to tell her. Could she forgive him if he had? For that matter, could her friends forgive her for returning with Jareth after all they’d done to help her escape? These questions lay heavy on her mind. 

As if summoned, Jareth murmured from beside her, “A penny for your thoughts?” 

Sarah startled and he had to put a steadying hand to keep her from tripping over the table nest she’d been next to. His lips had been curled into a smile but it began to fade at the troubled wrinkle of her brow. As he stepped forward, his hands came to rest on her arms and rub up and down to soothe away her worry. It was strange to see how sensitive Jareth had become to her moods. She found that he would react to the slightest change from happy to sad. He was trying and that made her feel better. 

“What’s wrong?” 

She smiled, shaking her head and murmuring, “Just a silly thought.” 

“It’s not silly if it’s bothering you,” was the answer, as Jareth’s hands continued to move along her arms, stopping at her shoulders. “Tell me.” 

How could she tell him that she doubted him again? The thought was so sudden and unexpected that Sarah was left reeling from it. She doubted him again after all he’d done. A part of her understood that days would not soothe the years of doubt she’d had about him. Nor would a few days of kind, tender gestures wipe away what he’d done all those years ago. Trust was easily lost and hard to gain; he was trying so hard and she didn’t want to stop him. 

“My friends…” Sarah began, looking up at Jareth. 

Jareth understood the problem immediately and pressed another kiss to her forehead before replying. “Are fine. I won’t say that I didn’t punish them; that’s a lie. Hoggle spent time dangled above the bog. The knight was a toll road keeper on a bridge where people seldom passed. And the beast, Ludo, was banished to the forest.” 

The look on Sarah’s face was priceless. He had underestimated what Sarah thought wasn’t a terrible punishment. Those seemed light, in comparison, to what he could have and should have done to her friends. They had disobeyed their king, after all. Jareth steered her away from the table she’d been shopping and toward the cashier so they could leave the shop. This was not a discussion he wanted to have in a room full of people. Some might assume that they were talking about a book but then others would question their sanity. 

“Y-you…” She stuttered out before freeing herself and smacking him on the arm. “You dangled him over the bog? That smell never comes out!” Her voice rose steadily with each word. 

There was a quick glance about the room before Jareth’s head dipped and he whispered, “Sarah, you’re making a scene…” 

“What? Oh!” Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of red. Laying her purchases on the counter, Sarah turned her attention to the cashier. “So sorry…” Her head canting so that she could see Jareth again as she muttered aloud, “That’s a bad ending to the story.” 

“It isn’t over,” was the counter Jareth made. He plastered a smile on his lips and waited for her to finish with the cashier. Once they were back on the streets, this could be talked about in hushed whispers or maybe she would wait until they were somewhere private. Was that too much to hope? Magic; he had magic. He could make it so that no one heard them. It was appalling how being around Sarah made him forget himself and resort to common ways. His hand cupped her elbow as he led her away from the shop and in to an alcove. 

“I understand that they are your friends. I am more sensitive to that fact than you know, but they were my subjects.” He cupped her chin and tilted it so that she had to look in to his eyes. “I know you think that I’m cruel but they had to be punished. Hoggle lives outside the goblin city, as he always has. The last time I saw your Knight he believed he was Don Quixote and was off to joust some windmills. And your beast wandered back after his punishment; it wasn’t as if I could really keep him out. Rocks friends, my foot, probably could move mountains if left to his own devices.” 

As much as it might bother Jareth that she questioned him, he understood it. He was cruel at times and her friend’s punishment had been out of anger over his defeat. The difference between a teenager and an adult was that the worst punishment Sarah had once imagined was the bog, but now she thought he had actually harmed her friends. Disillusionment was a poison and society was full of it he’d found out over the years. 

“If it will satisfy you,” Jareth continued, “then we will go look for them when you’re settled in to the palace; that very day if you wish it.” 

The answer was hasty. “I do. I just…” She grimaced lightly at the admission, “I want to make sure they’re alright.” She wanted to make sure he hadn’t hurt them. “Don’t be mad.” 

“I couldn’t if I tried. I deserved that.” His eyes closed and a deep breath was drawn. “Deserve…I deserve that.” Her chin released so that he could pat her cheek before stepping back. “Now, if your fears are allayed for the moment, what other errands do you have?” 

Guilt curled in the pit of Sarah’s belly and she grasped his hand to pull him back to her. He had been working so hard to earn her trust for the last week. It would take time and they both knew it, but she was afraid she’d damaged him. ‘I’m sorry’ just didn’t seem quite enough. There was never anything to make her think that he had caused someone true physical harm. It bothered Sarah that she’d jumped to that conclusion so quickly. The uncanny part was his ability to sometimes, like now, sense what she was thinking or feeling. 

Jareth leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead and whisper against her brow. “Stop it. We have all the time in the world. I haven’t given up yet.” They both knew he never would. 

There was a nod from her in return and for a time they just stood together letting the world pass by. At last, Sarah stepped away from him though her hand did not leave his. There were still errands to run and she was running out of time to get everything done. She still had not called her father or Carin to let them know she was going away. Toby would be heartbroken but of all of them, she thought he would understand the best. 

“Come on, just one more stop and then I’ll make you dinner for once.” Sarah offered, glancing up at her companion before squeezing his hand. He was tugged in to the crowd as they headed toward their next destination. Still, her hand didn’t leave his. 

The smile returned to Jareth’s lips. “Don’t expect me to return the favor; that’s what servants are for.” And if he took a bit of delight at the irritated roll of her eyes, well who could blame him? The irritated moments were when she was the Sarah he remembered the most. 

“You should learn how. It’s soothing; you might even find you like it.” She teased, poking at his arm lightly with her free hand, bags dangling around her wrist and hitting him. “Besides, even Kings have to have some skills.” 

“I have skills!” 

The look she gave him was doubtful as she muttered. “Being irritating is not a skill, Jareth.” 

There was a certain amount of satisfaction to hearing him start sputtering in indignation. He had left her in the same state many times over the last week. In fact, he’d left her that way many times in the labyrinth as a teenager. Maybe he did have more skills than just being irritating. The thought brought a smile to Sarah’s lips and she squeezed his hand. It made him stop sputtering long enough to look at her and what he saw made him smile. His indignation was forgotten as he swept her in to another alcove. 

“No,” he purred, “but this is.” 

And with that Jareth’s head dipped so that their lips met. If she’d resisted, he’d have stopped immediately, but Sarah was pliant in his arms. This was not the gentle brief kisses of affection they’d shared but an expression of his passion. His hand tangled in the hair at the back of her neck while her hands gripped the front of his shirt. All of the distrust of earlier was gone despite the little voice in the back of her mind saying she should wait until she’d seen her friends. It didn’t matter at the moment, only he did. 

When the couple had broken away from one another, Sarah straightened her hair while he adjusted his shirt. She was breathless and her heart was pounding in her chest. This was what books described passion and love as; a hot, white whirlwind of romance. His hand found hers and squeezed it before drawing her back in to the crowd so they could keep walking. 

“Definitely.” She murmured, lips curling upward. “Wow…” 

Jareth smirked in response and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. That was a skill indeed and one he hoped to show her more of. It would wait until later when Sarah was more comfortable. He kept reminding himself not to take advantage of her vulnerable state but she made it hard. There had been no breakdowns in the last week and that lulled him in to a false sense of her well being. No, he would remain vigilant and be there when the breakdown came. 

“Just a few more days and you will have nothing to think about but relaxation and sleep.” He glanced at her as he spoke. “And when you are ready, I will show you Underground.” 

“I’m ready to go now.” 

A shake of his head, as Jareth answered, “It’s not time yet. Soon.” He would make her keep her word to wait but he would also keep her on track with preparations. “Now, come, we have errands to finish. And you promised to fix dinner.” 

“I said I would, I didn’t promise.” 

The couple did not see the man curled against the wall in the alley as they passed by. He stared out at the people moving up and down the street and muttered about goblins. There was a brief lull in his murmur as the dark haired woman and her companion passed by while his eyes followed them. A whimper escaped his lips and Christopher lay his head forward in to his hands, rocking back and forth slowly. No, he didn’t want to go back or see those creatures again. The couple was already too far up the block to hear when the man’s head was flung back and he let out a tortured howl. 

_I’ll be watching._


	16. The Beginning at the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Title:** A Faded Memory
> 
>  **Author:** Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
>  **Published:** 2/10/2016
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.
> 
>  **A/N:** Alright, this is the final chapter. There will be an epilogue posted directly after this. And finally, after 12 years, I will be finished with this story. Its incomplete state has haunted me. Its original lack of direction killed my motivation, but finally I can mark it complete.

  


* * *

**Chapter 16: The Beginning at the End**

* * *

  


It was nearly done. Sarah knew that the time Jareth had given her to prepare was a generous gift and she was grateful for it. He had been generous to her since the first time they'd met. It was hard to see his generosity because Jareth hid it behind arrogance and conceit, but Sarah was learning to see through all that. There might still be a price to pay at the end of everything, but more and more she was finding herself willing to pay it. Jareth always asked for payment and she had no reason to think this might be different. Well, except, that he had been acting differently since their reunion. The man had shown more patience in the last two weeks than in all the years she'd battled him in her head.

In the end, that was the realization which had begun to ease Sarah's doubts. All her battles with Jareth had spanned thirteen hours and then been in her head for years afterward. She had no idea what he was really like. Doubt was a terrible creature but at least Sarah could admit that she did doubt. It wasn't only his intentions that had come in to question but the decision itself. At first it seemed like the best option to up and leave everything, spend time in Underground. Now, Sarah began to wonder what would happen if the time away wasn't the healing balm she was hoping for. There was a hole in her being that needed filling or she would always feel fractured.

Jareth's gentle comfort these last two weeks had eased her anxiety and she was grateful for it. He was not a man Sarah had credited with a great deal of patience yet he showed it now. Every time her doubts and fears had reared their ugly head, he had soothed them back. She wondered if perhaps the trip was not to mend her feelings alone. Jareth might also need mending and if Sarah could do that for him, it would be ample payment for what he was offering. Well, so long as he kept to his part of the bargain.

The final week had been spent packing Sarah's belongings for storage. It amazed her how she could have so little space but so many items. Most had been marked for storage though Jareth had made a few trips back and forth to deliver her belongings to his home. Privately, Sarah thought maybe he hadn't needed to go back to Underground to make the deliveries himself. He was a king, after all, and he did have a kingdom to run. Maybe he had needed time away from her. That thought was one of many that clouded her mind as she finished sealing the last of the boxes for the storage unit.

It shouldn't have been a question because Jareth had spent so much time with her already. Still, Sarah wondered how he would manage his kingdom while she was there. He had a kingdom to run and subjects to rule over though that didn't seem to bother him at the moment. Was Jareth as free with his time at home as he was when he was away? Sarah wondered if there would be pressing matters once they settled back in the labyrinth. She didn't want to monopolize his time though that was what he was suggesting she do.

"You are thinking so loudly that I imagine I can see the words flying from your head." He purred, a gloved hand moving over her shoulder. The voice was so suddenly near her ear that Sarah startled, dropping one of the packed boxes

Sarah spun and drew back her hand to punch the intruder with no real spite. "Don't do that! You scared the life out of me!" She squeaked at Jareth who wasn't bothering to hide his laughter.

"I could not help myself, forgive me?" A hand pressed over Jareth's heart as he bowed but there was no remorse in his features. "Now, tell me what's on your mind?"

At some point, Sarah had promised to talk to Jareth and tell him her problems. It was all part of making her better or at least helping her get there. She hesitated to tell him, again, that she was having her doubts about this move. How many times had they been over this the last few days? Her head shook at him and she stooped to pick up the box and set it with the others. How much doubt could the man take before he gave up on her?

"Ahh, I see. We're back to this then." Jareth murmured. He began to pull his gloves off at the fingertips, laying them on the counter one at a time. "You think that this might all be a mistake and that you will never heal. And that I will exact some great price from you for my help." One brow rose as he waited for her to agree that this was the case before continuing on. "Sarah, look at me."

He waited until Sarah had turned to look at him before hands lifted to cup her cheeks. His fingers were warm from being in the gloves and she'd found them oddly soft for a man. Perhaps the consequence of being a King was that one never had to do hard labor. Or was that a benefit? For a long few moments, they stood together in silence and Jareth gazed down in to her eyes and face. He saw her; he wanted her to know that. Jareth saw Sarah for what she was and what she could be. His head bent and lips pressed to hers before he drew back.

"I don't want anything." Jareth whispered. "It might be a mistake, but you won't know until you try. And even if you are never healed, then you are perfect just like this and will always have a place at my side if you wish it. A promise; my promise to you."

Sarah's eyes brimmed with unshed tears before she pushed upward on her toes to brush her lips to his in return. It was the third promise he'd made her in two weeks. It did not take the fear away or extinguish her doubt but it gave Sarah the courage to push past it. He was right; she would never know until she tried. Her head bobbed in acknowledgement before she looked about the apartment. There was so little left to do.

"Thank you, Jareth."

One brow rose and then his head inclined in acceptance of her thanks. "It's my pleasure. Now, we have work to finish. You are supposed to move out by tomorrow. What do we have left to do? Any more boxes that need to be delivered?"

There would be a long road ahead of the two of them, Sarah was sure of it. If she could weather the storms that would come, then maybe there was a bit of light waiting at the end of the tunnel. So many years had been spent in a type of purgatory. Sometimes, with each breath she took, Sarah felt as though she were awakening from it. He was moving from box to box in front of her and she still hardly believed that he was real. That would take time, far more than two weeks could give her. Oh, Jareth had worked to ease that feeling by making sure they were seen out and about together.

"No, nothing. This is all for storage. Though, if I do decide not to come back, I at least sorted it by what should be donated and what should be given to people. I don't want it to go to waste," was the answer as Sarah joined him.

His eyes drifted to her at that answer with lips curling up into a smile. "Good. Then let's go through all the rooms and cabinets, make sure you have everything. We'll get this moved over then have dinner and…" And? The word hung between them a moment before Jareth shrugged. "Go home. We'll have dinner and go home."

"Home." Sarah murmured. "Home is where the heart is. At least, that's what they say, anyway."

And maybe, just maybe, Sarah's heart was still in the Underground where she'd left it. A faint smile began at the corners of her mouth and then grew until it brightened her face and lit her eyes; yes, home. Not for the first time that week, there was a rush of wanting to go and be done with this place. It burst through Sarah giving her energy. She was almost bouncing about the rooms, checking cabinets and looking through drawers. They were going to go home.

"Don't forget," Sarah called out to him from the bedroom. "You promised we could start looking for Hoggle and the others!" There wasn't a reply from the front room though Sarah could hear Jareth moving about. Perhaps he hadn't heard her? She moved to the door to glance out and almost ran in to him.

His hands caught her arms and Jareth steadied them both before answering. "Yes, about that…" He hedged which caused a knot to form in Sarah's stomach.

"You promised, Jareth…" And a promise was a promise, wasn't it? "You said you would help me look for them. " Sarah's voice rose as her anxiety returned. He couldn't change his mind now, she wouldn't let him. This was it, the moment when the other shoe dropped.

"Sarah!" His voice sharp as Jareth tried to stop her verbal flailing. "As I was going to say…about that…I've already begun looking. My trips home, I've been sending the goblins out scouting. Granted, they're notgood at it." A hand waved that small fact away, but it was more the idea that he had begun looking before she'd even arrived.

"What?" She murmured, the fight draining out of her.

Jareth's hand lifted to brush Sarah's hair back behind one ear before caressing her cheek. "I have already started looking for your friends." He reiterated. "As soon as we have any news, I'll let you know. I didn't want to worry you with it while you were packing. I thought it would be a nice surprise." Especially if he could have found them before she came to Underground, but no luck so far. Still, it had only been a few days in both worlds.

Guilt filled the pit of Sarah's stomach and she pressed her hand there a moment. Was she ever going to stop judging him harshly? In time, she reminded herself. In time, when more than two weeks had passed and she'd had the chance to see him as a person, Sarah would stop judging. It would take time. The fear and anxiety that he would grow short of patience or temper returned to her. Sarah took a deep breath, stilling herself. They had time; all the time in the world.

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head and cut her words off. "For not picking out a place to eat. It is a terrible imposition to force me to choose, yet again." He reached out a hand and grasped Sarah's arm at the elbow to guide her out of the bedroom and in to the hallway. "Oh, well, I suppose we will have to go to that deli again. We're not dressed for formal."

Her coat was shoved in to her hands. Jareth smoothed a hand over his chest to show Sarah how easily he could change his own clothing to suit. She laughed at him and pulled her coat on before following him out of the apartment. There was a pause in her steps as Sarah looked back at the rooms she'd called home while in purgatory. It didn't look or feel like home anymore and that was alright. Jareth's arm linked with hers and led her out the door, closing it firmly behind them. He would take care of any remaining boxes.

"No more looking back, only forward." He murmured and patted Sarah's arm as they waited for the elevator. "Close your eyes."

Sarah's brow knitted as the bell for the elevator dinged but she did as he asked. It was in her to protest and question him but in that moment, she didn't. His steps sure as he guided her on to the elevator and the doors slid closed behind them. A surprise of some sort, then? She felt her heart beating a bit harder in her chest in expectation and concern. As the doors to the elevator slid open warmth and the smell of hay assaulted her senses causing Sarah to open her eyes. The Labyrinth lay before them looking as she remembered it.

A glance spared at Jareth as she asked, "I … I thought we were going to dinner?"

"We are. I just may have lied about the deli, that's all…"

There was that devious, playful smile on Jareth's lips and Sarah only shook her head at him. The elevator doors closed behind them and her escape to Overland was cut off. It didn't matter because Sarah didn't want to escape. It was as wonderful as the first time she'd seen it though more desolate than she remembered. His hands fell away as she moved forward to the edge of the hill and stuffed her hands in her coat pockets.

"It needs some work." Sarah observed, looking over the sandy hills and the decaying labyrinth beneath them. Her head turned so that she could see Jareth as he stepped up to her side, his clothes changed back to normal.

His head inclined voice soft. "It does," was the acknowledgement she received. "Perhaps something you might be interested in undertaking. Well, if you don't like the idea I have to suggest to you. I mentioned, some time ago, that we had no teachers. Maybe the goblins would be less troublesome if educated…"

Or they had time; she could do what he suggested and also work on the kingdom. It would take time regardless. Sarah smiled and wrapped her hand about his arm. Home. For the first time in years, she felt warmth bubbling up in her chest and Sarah began to laugh softly. Jareth was puzzled at the outburst but slowly a smile crept to his lips. He began to guide her down the hillside toward the path that would take them to the castle. Yes, maybe the goblins would be less troublesome with Sarah as their teacher instead of him.

"Let's go home," Jareth murmured.

  


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**Fin.**

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	17. Epilogue: What Sacrifices are For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title: A Faded Memory
> 
> Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)
> 
> Published: 2/10/2016
> 
> A/N: So. You have reached the end. This is the epilogue set many years after the end of the story. It is deemed optional because you can draw your own conclusions as to what happened.
> 
> After the epilogue, there will be a note briefly detailing what I believe happened between the last chapter and this epilogue. No, there will not be a sequel. Thank you for reading.

  


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**The (Optional) Epilogue: What Sacrifices are For**

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The woman was gazing at her male companion as though searching for some confirmation of his thoughts. They had been deep in conversation for the last half hour and she had yet to get anything resembling a serious answer from him. Anyone who knew the couple would have hardly been surprised by this but to an outsider it was a curious thing to watch.

"Are you sure?"

Her eyes had drifted to the kingdom lying before them. When she'd come here, it had been a desolate place of sand and little growth. There were forests bordering the land but they had been unhealthy and festered with a sickness. It was all green now and in the distance she could see dots of color where flowers and other plants were beginning to bloom. No longer was the land barren. It had been built on its master's emotions and when those emotions had bloomed the land had come to life. Many had come to see what had changed the king and his kingdom or rather who. They welcomed many visitors these days.

His smile was an indulgent one and the man leaned to press a kiss to the top of the woman's head before murmuring. "I was never more certain of anything in my life."

"But it will be crowded, and you hate crowds."

There was a soft laugh from the man as he took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I do, it is true, but crowds are necessary when one is having a party. It was not my idea to invite the whole kingdom and then some."

"Not inviting them would have been rude," she groused, "but I wish I hadn't. We could avoid the party."

The man smiled at the hopeful look upon his wife's face. He wanted to tell her that yes, they could avoid the party, but it was not possible. The diplomats and other courtiers had come from far and wide across the kingdoms to attend. No, they were stuck going now. He wished with all of his being that her anxiety would melt away or that he could soothe it in some manner. It was far more difficult to find the words than it would have been to wave it away with magic.

"My dear, I will never be far from your side." His hand lay over hers where it touched his arm. "We will face this together as we have faced many worse situations and we will triumph." That hand lifted to touch her chin and raise it so that she looked in to his eyes. "Afterward, we will retreat to our little haven and shut the world out for a while. Is that acceptable?"

The woman took a deep breath and let it out slowly before nodding to him. Her fingertips lifted to the man's face and caressed along the planes of his cheek. They were there, together, as they should have been from the beginning. At last, the woman drew away and took another deep breath to steel her emotions against what was going to come. They would go to the party and make a good showing of it. When it was all done, they would go to their secret place and forget the world existed for a while. He would not be King and she would not be Queen. There would be no demands on them.

"Come, we must go or we'll be late. That's a bad precedent for a host and hostess." The man murmured in her ear before tilting the woman's head up enough to kiss her lips. He released her from his embrace a moment later but took her arm to guide her away.

"How do you think they'll react when we tell them?" She wondered aloud.

He smirked before answering. "I'm hoping for a mixture between overjoyed and terrified."

"Jareth." She scolded.

He grinned and answered in a mocking tone. "Sarah."

"All I can say to whomever may be listening; I hope the baby doesn't turn out like you." The words punctuated with several light pokes to his side though Sarah could not help the smile on her lips. The Labyrinth was brighter than it had been in a century which was a testament to how excited he was over the news.

Jareth chuckled, pulling her close to his side. "Come, my Sarah, let us share our good news with the Kingdoms."

  


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The End

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**A/N:** So what do I believe happened?

The first few months and years would have been spent finding Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo. And then the other kingdoms would have noticed the change in the lands around the Labyrinth and its citizens. They would have grown curious and visitors would have come to the kingdom to see what was happening. There would have been rumors that Jareth had a new adviser, or lover, and that she was firmly guiding him in a better direction. Oh, he never would lose his mischievous nature, that's just who Jareth is, but he would have become a better ruler and person. This would have opened up trade and negotiations with other kingdoms which Sarah would have helped oversee so that Jareth didn't piss someone off.

As for Sarah and her mental health issues, they would have improved over time, but never fully disappeared. I believe even at the time of the epilogue she was still suffering depression and some self-doubt. Jareth loved her enough to help her through this and he had already begun to learn how to support her, so that would have grown and continued. He'd have helped her find activities to occupy her mind. And believe me when I say, he would have filled as many days as he could with wonder for her.

I think Sarah asked to go back and visit Overland, but didn't like it once she got there. Even so Jareth would have offered, probably still offers from time to time, but I think Sarah is happy in Underground. He would continue to offer in an effort to keep his promise until she asked him to stop. She would, by the way, ask him to stop one day; maybe after their first child was born.

As for how long Sarah was able to live, my answer is: as long as imagination.

Thank you again for reading.


End file.
